Not only did the IPL witness several fights and controversies on the field, but the tournament also witnessed controversies off the field
Controversies
and the Indian Premier League (IPL) go hand in hand, and therefore, it is no surprise that the 2026 edition also witnessed multiple controversies, both on and off the field.
Although the tournament has concluded, the IPL fever will remain high for another week or so. Therefore, let’s recap some of the top controversies that grabbed major highlights and marred the tournament’s reputation to some extent.
Social media bantersCategories
Social media seems to have more harm than benefit for teams and players this season, especially for the Punjab Kings and Arshdeep Singh. IPL fans, regardless of their team allegiance, were clearly displeased with the banters shared on Punjab Kings' social media platforms, which many considered inappropriate and in poor taste. Things went further south when Arshdeep Singh posted several videos containing derogatory remarks about his teammates and other players.
Arshdeep Singh looked straight at Tilak Varma and said:
— PitchTalks (@ThePitchTalks) May 14, 2026
“Oye Andhere, sunscreen lagaaya?”
The pain and discomfort on Tilak’s face said it all, He was visibly hurt and NOT impressed at all.
How can a “joke” cut so deep? This wasn’t banter, it was pure racial shade 😔 pic.twitter.com/86BbYv8wI9
Even Harsha Bhogle gave his opinion against the overusage of social media platforms by players and teams, stating, “The near surrender of IPL teams to social media and the resultant invitation to trolls. Things are getting ugly. You are constantly chasing clicks. You are constantly chasing likes. You are constantly looking for provocative material. You are constantly goading players on to produce provocative material.”
No to phones and vapes
Controversy surrounded the Rajasthan Royals on two occasions. During a match against the Punjab Kings, Royals’ captain Riyan Parag was caught using a vaping device, which is a Level 1 offence under Article 2.21 of the IPL’s Code of Conduct. The skipper was fined 25 per cent of his match fee and handed one demerit point.
Captain of Rajasthan Royals team Riyan Parag enjoying vape in the RR dressing room .
Vaping is illegal in India . Hello @BCCI is this allowed?
#PBKSvsRR pic.twitter.com/banIgJDO6u— Surbhi (@SurrbhiM) April 29, 2026
Another incident caught Rajasthan Royals manager Romi Bhinder using a mobile phone in the dugout. For the record, players and support staff are strictly banned from using communication devices under the IPL's Players and Match Officials Area (PMOA) protocol. Bhinder was fined INR one lakh for the incident.
Chinnaswamy to Modi
Karnataka MLAs demand 5 VIP tickets each for IPL matches & get them. #ipl_2026 pic.twitter.com/jc7fZlbvMs
— Satish Acharya (@satishacharya) March 28, 2026
The BCCI was forced to move the IPL final from the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium to the Narendra Modi International Stadium after the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) allegedly sought nearly 10,000 complimentary tickets for local politicians, MLAs and MPs. As always, the unreasonable demands of politicians hindered a sporting event in India.
BCCI crackdown
🚨 BIG! BCCI to issue a STRICT advisory after noticing irregularities involving some IPL franchises & players.
— Megh Updates 🚨™ (@MeghUpdates) May 7, 2026
BCCI Secretary says UNAUTHORIZED individuals were found travelling with teams, entering hotels, team buses and even players’ rooms, violating anti-corruption protocols. pic.twitter.com/641D9XFtWT
Last but not least, the BCCI circulated an advisory to all IPL teams, asking them to keep players and staff separate from their girlfriends, family, and even friends in team hotels. The authoritarian body warned teams about honey-trapping risks and unauthorised access to hotel rooms, which could lead to match-fixing or other scandals.
