The IPL, known for its thrilling cricket and global excitement, faced a significant setback in the past due to spot-fixing scandals, leading to a two-year ban for Chennai Super Kings (CSK). This controversy resurfaced recently when former IPL Governor Lalit Modi accused N. Srinivasan, the former BCCI President and CSK owner, of being involved in IPL fixing.
In an explosive statement after the IPL 2025 mega auction, Modi revealed that Srinivasan had requested him to release Sri Lankan cricketer Thisara Perera, in order to make room for English all-rounder Andrew Flintoff. Modi claimed that this was part of auction rigging, accusing Srinivasan of attempting to manipulate the IPL’s course. “Every team knew about it,” Modi said, referring to the instruction not to pick Flintoff, following Srinivasan’s request. He further criticized Srinivasan’s influence over the IPL’s functioning, calling him a major adversary during the early days of the tournament.
Additionally, Modi accused Srinivasan of favoring CSK by influencing umpire appointments, claiming that he assigned Chennai-based umpires to CSK’s games, which Modi called “indirect fixing.” He shared how this favoritism became evident over time, especially when Srinivasan initially opposed the IPL’s success but later embraced it after its growth.
This isn’t the first time CSK has faced such allegations. In 2015, the team faced illegal betting accusations, with MS Dhoni also linked to the issue. Although investigators found no evidence against Dhoni, the IPL banned CSK for two years. The team, however, made a successful comeback in the 2018 season.
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