IPL’s Most Notorious Teams: Fixing Controversies and Facts (2025)

Which IPL Team Has the Darkest Fixing Past?

The Indian Premier League is celebrated worldwide for its star players, gripping matches, and passionate fans. It stands as one of the richest and most competitive cricket leagues. Yet, amid the excitement, the league has wrestled with serious match-fixing controversies that have cast shadows over its integrity.

Pinpointing the single "No 1 fixing team" in IPL history isn’t straightforward. Still, three franchises—Chennai Super Kings, Rajasthan Royals, and Mumbai Indians—have faced the harshest scrutiny due to past scandals and bans.

Understanding Match-Fixing in IPL

Match-fixing involves players or officials manipulating game events, often to benefit betting syndicates. This may include bowling deliberately poor balls, dropping catches, or sharing inside information. Among the IPL teams, CSK and RR were banned for two years after major scandals, frequently earning them the title of IPL's most infamous fixing teams.

Teams Implicated in Fixing Scandals

• Rajasthan Royals: Players S. Sreesanth, Ankeet Chavan, and Ajit Chandila were arrested for spot-fixing.
• Chennai Super Kings: Team official Gurunath Meiyappan was arrested for betting and passing insider info.
• Mumbai Indians: While no direct charges were made against players or officials, alleged links and questionable umpiring decisions have stirred controversy.

Ongoing Debates About Fixing in IPL 2025

Even today, whispers of unfair play echo, especially after matches like the May 21, 2025 clash between Mumbai Indians and Delhi Capitals, where umpiring decisions sparked fan outrage. Several incidents — such as a six being downgraded to four and uncalled no-balls — fueled suspicions, though no proof emerged.

The Teams in Spotlight

Chennai Super Kings

With five IPL titles and millions of supporters, CSK symbolizes success. Yet their reputation took a hit in 2013 when Gurunath Meiyappan, linked to the management, was caught betting and leaking insider info. Although players weren’t implicated, this scandal led to a two-year IPL ban (2016–17). Since then, the franchise has worked to keep clear of controversies but remains tagged by some as IPL’s king of fixing.

Rajasthan Royals

The first IPL team seriously hit by fixing issues, RR saw three players arrested in 2013 for spot-fixing. Sreesanth, Chandila, and Chavan allegedly bowled no-balls and gave away runs to aid bookies. These actions earned them lifetime bans (later reduced). Co-owner Raj Kundra also faced betting accusations, leading to his ban from cricket activities. Like CSK, RR missed IPL seasons 2016 and 2017. Recently, accusations surfaced again, but the team denied any wrongdoing.

Mumbai Indians

MI boasts five IPL championships and a strong fan base. Star players such as Rohit Sharma, Hardik Pandya, and Jasprit Bumrah highlight their strength. Still, controversial umpiring calls have repeatedly sparked debate, with some fans claiming MI benefited unfairly. Incidents from 2014 to 2025 involving missed no-balls and disputed boundaries often favored MI, raising questions about fairness and fueling rumors of fixing.

Players Caught in Match-Fixing

• S. Sreesanth (Rajasthan Royals): Arrested for spot-fixing, used signals to bowl bad balls intentionally. Banned for life, later reinstated.
• Ajit Chandila (Rajasthan Royals): Involved in giving away runs in exchange for money, banned for life then allowed to return.
• Ankeet Chavan (Rajasthan Royals): Admitted to fixing, faced similar bans and reinstatements.

Common Questions

• Which is the No. 1 fixing team in IPL? There’s no official tag, but CSK and RR top the list due to historic bans and controversies.
• Why was CSK banned? Because team official Gurunath Meiyappan was found guilty of betting and sharing insider information.