Top 5 Biggest Fights In IPL History | From Ganguly to Harbhajan Singh

The battle between Digvesh Rathi and Abhishek Sharma in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 led to comparisons with classic matchups from the league’s 18-year history, reaching back to its first edition in 2008.

While the tournament brought many people closer, it also ignited tensions among those who already had strained relationships.

This also allows us to examine the Top 5 Biggest Fights In IPL History or the most brutal yet captivating instances in IPL history.

5. Virat Kohli vs Gautam Gambhir IPL fight 

Virat Kohli and Gautam Gambhir also had a memorable altercation during the IPL 2013. Nonetheless, the most memorable image from that match features Rajat Bhatia shoving Kohli backward with one hand while using the other to signal Gambhir to hold back too. But what caused this unpleasant altercation between two players from Delhi?

During the game at M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, Kohli fell into a trap established by Gambhir and the bowler Laxmipathy Balaji, resulting in the batter being caught at deep extra cover.

Rather than returning to the pavilion, Kohli sprinted toward the celebrating KKR players, and Gambhir, the captain of the purple and gold team, wasted no time in rushing toward Kohli too. The players hurled insults at each other while Bhatia, another Delhi Ranji player, stepped in to soothe both. As a senior to both Kohli and Gambhir, Bhatia’s insight triumphed. The battle concluded at that point.

4. Kieron Pollard vs Mitchell Starc

In terms of altercations, a more remarkable response than Abhishek Sharma signaling to Rathi that he will fix his hair is Kieron Pollard actually tossing the bat at Mitchell Starc, amid a brawl between them at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai during IPL 2014.

During the 17th over of the Mumbai Indians (MI) innings, Pollard, who had scored 20 runs off 23 balls, attempted to hook a bouncer bowled by Starc from Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB). Nevertheless, after he was unable to achieve that, Starc made a comment to him, prompting Pollard to reply by telling the bowler to return to his bowling run-up.

On the ensuing delivery, Starc, approaching, was forced to pause as Pollard halted while moving to the leg side. Rather than pausing, Starc maintained his run-up and forcefully delivered the ball toward the spot where Pollard was positioned. The ball missed the West Indian, but it definitely angered him as he tossed the bat toward Starc, ensuring it landed clearly in front of the Australian bowler.

The officials, Chris Gayle, Virat Kohli, and others, quickly approached both players as Pollard appeared to be speaking enthusiastically, and Starc was also conversing with the umpires.

3. Shane Watson and Kieron Pollard

Shane Watson and Kieron Pollard stand out as two of the greatest all-rounders in IPL history. Both have performed exceptionally well for their individual teams over the past decade. It’s always thrilling when these two competitors face off against one another. However, in the 2013 season, the situation escalated somewhat between the two.

Rajasthan Royals and Mumbai Indians were facing off in an important match, and Kieron Pollard offered Shane Watson a rather unfriendly welcome. The pair exchanged heated words for a brief moment before Watson approached the on-field umpire, Asad Rauf. Pollard’s catch to dismiss Watson intensified the already heated confrontation.

The confrontation continued as Watson kept berating Pollard from his dugout while the Caribbean player was fielding at mid-on. Rahul Dravid needed to step in to prevent the situation from escalating and brought the Australian player into the dressing room.

2. Sourav Ganguly and Shane Warne

Sourav Ganguly and Shane Warne, two of the sport’s top players, have left an unmatched legacy during their time. Fans were delighted to witness these legends helm two outstanding teams in the inaugural IPL season. However, when they confronted one another, the situations were unfavorable.

Graeme Smith made a fantastic catch to get rid of Sourav Ganguly. And the ball was dubiously off the ground before landing in his hands. The South African icon asserted that the catch was legitimate. However, Ganguly disagreed and wrongfully requested the umpires for a replay.

Shane Warne was dissatisfied with the developments and expressed his frustration during the press conference. “If an international captain such as Graeme Smith claimed it was a fair catch and Rudi Koertzen confirmed he caught it.” Moreover, the players are prohibited from requesting the umpire. Sourav requested the Indian umpire to check the TV replay. “That contradicts the essence of the game, so I felt extremely let down by Sourav,” Warne remarked.

1. Sreesanth and Harbhajan Fight- Slapgate

Known as ‘Slapgate’, the altercation between Harbhajan Singh and S Sreesanth marks the first, likely the most infamous, and the most consequential incident in IPL history. After the conclusion of the game between MI and Kings XI Punjab (currently referred to as Punjab Kings) at the PCA Stadium in Mohali in 2008, footage of a tearful Sreesanth was widely broadcast on television.

The following morning, it was all over the news too, revealing that Harbhajan, the MI substitute captain, had slapped the Kerala fast bowler after he made an ‘offensive’ remark.

Although Yuvraj Singh and Tom Moody, the captain and coach of Punjab, appeared visibly distressed by the event, Sreesanth, who was spotted in tears, remarked, “It’s natural.” Nothing significant occurred. Everything is part of the game. I am well. “We will continue to be members of the national team.”

Ultimately, Harbhajan received a substantial fine along with an 11-match suspension, preventing him from participating in the rest of the first IPL season.