Year-Ender 2023: 10 controversies and talking points in Indian Cricket this year
The year 2023 has been eventful for Indian cricket for more reasons than one. Let’s have a look at controversies and talking points of the year.
World Cup 2023 venues
Big cricket cities in India like Indore, Mohali, Rajkot, and Nagpur were upset about not being picked to host World Cup 2023 games. It was especially unexpected for Mohali, known for hosting a key 2011 World Cup match. There were complaints about Ahmedabad’s Narendra Modi Stadium getting too many important games.
‘Wide Ball’
Nasum Ahmed bowled a Wide Ball allegedly to stop Virat Kohli from scoring a century. Umpire Richard Kettleborough didn’t call it a Wide Ball, which led to many being upset and questioning the fairness of the decision.
Pitch change
There was a last-minute pitch change at Wankhede Stadium just before the ICC World Cup semi-final. It raised allegations of manipulation to favour Indian spinners.
Kohli vs Naveen
Virat Kohli had a heated on-field exchange with LSG pacer Naveen-ul-Haq and mentor Gautam Gambhir. It drew criticism for lack of sportsmanship.
Dhoni’s argument
MS Dhoni had a rare argument with umpires regarding Matheesha Pathirana’s bowling eligibility. Dhoni reportedly decided to wait until Pathirana could bowl again, rather than have a different bowler take the over.
Shafali Verma’s dismissal
In the WPL final, Delhi Capitals’ Shafali Verma’s dismissal caused controversy. She hit a high delivery to the backward point, and the umpire reviewed it. The third umpire concluded that the ball was not above waist height, so it wasn’t considered a No Ball.
Virat Kohli’s ‘selfish’ century
Virat Kohli faced criticism for focusing on his century over the team’s victory in a close match against South Africa. This incident, where he scored his 49th ODI hundred, sparked a debate on his approach as he took his time to achieve the ton.
Indian fans heckle Mohammad Rizwan
Pakistani player Mohammad Rizwan was heckled by a section of Indian fans at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. The incident took a political turn and led to criticism of the fans’ behaviour.
Mohammed Shami’s celebration
Mohammed Shami was trolled online for how he celebrated taking five wickets against Sri Lanka. People thought his kneeling was a religious act. Shami explained that it was just a natural way of showing his hard work and energy in the match. He later said, “If I wanted to pray, who could stop me?”
Hardik Pandya replaces Rohit Sharma
Hardik Pandya will replace Rohit Sharma as captain of Mumbai Indians in IPL 2024. He’s returning from Gujarat Titans. This change, a part of the team’s future planning, has upset fans who admire Rohit’s role in winning 5 IPL titles.
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Published: 25 Dec 2023, 08:56 AM IST
