The Indian Premier League (IPL) is one of the most celebrated cricketing events. It is a highly anticipated annual carnival. Players from across the globe participate in it. It is the most competitive franchise league in the world. As the tournament is so popular, it is little surprise that it has its fair share of controversies. IPL breeds on regular speculations. There have been few never-ending myths about the tournament. Here re 5 Lies About IPL You Believed Were True.
We list out 5 lies about the IPL you believed were true:
#5 Chris Morris is the IPL’s highest-paid player:
Rajasthan Royals spent a massive sum on acquiring Chris Morris in IPL 2021. They broke the roof to buy the star South African allrounder. RR paid a whopping INR 16.25 crores. He became the most expensive player ever bought in the IPL auction. Morris broke Yuvraj Singh’s previous record of INR 16 crores. But this doesn’t mean that Morris is IPL’s highest-paid player. The record for the highest-paid player still lies with Virat Kohli. His annual contract with Royal Challengers Bangalore is an earth-shattering INR 17 crores. Kohli has been drawing this salary since 2018.
#4 Sunrisers Hyderabad and Deccan Chargers are the same teams with just a name change
The Deccan Chargers was a Hyderabad-based franchise that was part of the IPL from 2008-12. DC were the wooden spooners in the inaugural IPL edition. They went on to fashion a stunning turnaround in the 2nd season. DC emerged IPL champions in 2009. The Deccan Chronicle-owned group exited the IPL in 2012 owing to bankruptcy. Sun Network then entered the fray to acquire the Hyderabad franchise. They revamped the side even changing the title to Sunrisers Hyderabad. SRH are one of the most consistent sides of the IPL. They even won the championship in 2016.
#3 Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals were banned for match-fixing:
The IPL 2013 saw a very tumultuous finish. CSK and RR were under the spotlight for all the wrong reasons. 3 RR players were accused of spot-fixing in the 2013 edition. This news sent out shockwaves around the world. Those 3 RR players were indefinitely suspended pending an inquiry. After carrying out a detailed investigation it was learned that principal consultants of both CSK and RR were involved in spot-fixing, both these teams were suspended from IPL for 2 years. Cricketing fans often mistake spot-fixing for match-fixing. Spot-fixing is done to decide an outcome of a particular event (a ball bowled, a run scored). While match-fixing is done to decide the outcome of the match.
#2 Mumbai Indians have won 5 trophies owing to their money power
Mumbai Indians are the most successful IPL team. They have won the IPL for a record 5 times. MI are one of the strongest franchise teams in the world. MI’s all-condition squad can challenge the best T20 team in the world. They started their winning run in 2013. MI went on to win 5 titles in the next 8 years. People often don’t pay MI enough credit stating they win the tournaments owing to their money power. But the fact of the matter is that MI built a strong team post-2010. The appointment of Rohit Sharma as captain was MI’s landmark moment. The rest as they say is history!
#1 IPL is a fixed league
There is a lot of unwanted criticism associated with the league. The IPL was earlier termed as death knell for Test cricket. But the truth is owing to IPL, many of the Indian players have gone on to play huge roles in India’s greatest Test wins. There is constant speculation that all close games are match-fixed. But the reality of the format is such that there will inevitably be close games. Hence the chatter about IPL being fixed is unwarranted.
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