Seven times when there was a rift between a player and their Indian T20 League franchise

The Indian T20 League is a great tournament that gets cricket fans across the globe to unite. After the conclusion of 15 editions of the cash-rich league, it has established itself as one of the most successful competitions in the world. A lot of the credit goes to the franchisees and their loyal players. However, this is not always the case. There have been many falling apart of the players and their franchises. Here are the times when there was a rift between a player and their Indian T20 League franchise.

Chennai and Suresh Raina

Suresh Raina (Image source- Twitter)

The Indian T20 League 2020 had to be relocated to the UAE since the world was experiencing the scare of Covid-19. For the first time, the teams were placed in a bio-secure bubble, and the setup did not go well for a few. Meanwhile, Raina dropped out of the season due to personal difficulties.

According to rumours, the all-rounder was dissatisfied with the balcony of the room he was assigned and hence opted to exit the bubble. But he denied the claims and returned the next season. He was later not picked by the Chennai team in the 2022 mega auction.

Kolkata and Sourav Ganguly

Sourav Ganguly (Image source- Twitter)

The appointment of Sourav Ganguly as Kolkata's first captain was a joyous occasion for Bengal cricket fans. However, the squad underperformed in the second half of the first season, failing to qualify for the semifinals. As a result, Ganguly was dismissed from his position.

According to certain sources, coach John Buchanan planned to use the multi-captaincy theory. While it was also discovered that the leadership change had some direct involvement from the owners. However, the supporters rose with Ganguly, and he was re-appointed as team captain in 2010.

Hyderabad and David Warner

David Warner (Image source- Twitter)

David Warner had a forgettable season with the Hyderabad team in the Indian T20 League in 2021. The cricketer never stated it publicly, but it was obvious enough for anyone to comprehend the issue. What enraged fans the most was that he led the team to their only championship in 2016 but was not rewarded kindly.

He was largely seen as a 12th man during the UAE leg of the league after being fired as captain. Things began to go south when he was spotted sitting in the stands and applauding for the team. Warner was eventually released at the end of the season and is now playing for the Delhi team.

Chennai and Ravindra Jadeja

Ravindra Jadeja (Image source- Twitter)

For quite some time, there have been rumours of a rift between Ravindra Jadeja and Chennai.  Jadeja was unfollowed by Chennai's official Instagram account during the Indian T20 League 2022, adding to the issue. Many people thought a divide was emerging between the franchise and one of its most loyal players.

The Indian all-rounder subsequently deleted all of his Chennai team-related Instagram posts from the 2021 and 2022 seasons. This further showed that there is a gap between the two parties.

Bangalore and Chris Gayle

Chris Gayle (Image source- Twitter)

In the 2018 season, the Bangalore team dropped Universe Boss Chris Gayle and did not re-sign him. The southpaw was assured that he would be retained by the team, but they did not keep their end of the bargain. He went on to reveal the situation a few years later.

"I was their biggest draw. It was disappointing from that end because they had called me. They wanted me in the team and I was told that I will be retained. But they never called back after that. So that gave me the impression that they didn't want me and it was fine," he said in an interview.

Pune and MS Dhoni

MS Dhoni (Image source- Twitter)

In 2016, MS Dhoni was named captain of the newly established Pune franchise. However, the team did not see any success in the season. For the first time in the history of the Indian T20 League, Dhoni failed to take his team to the playoffs.

As a result, he was dismissed as team captain only one day before the 2017 season auction. Steve Smith was appointed his successor for the 2017 season, and the Australian did a brilliant job. He guided the team to the final only to lose against Rohit Sharma's Mumbai.

Rajasthan and Ravindra Jadeja

Ravindra Jadeja (Image source- Twitter)

India's star all-rounder once was banned from the Indian T20 League after facing issues with his former team Rajasthan. The ban was imposed because Ravindra Jadeja did not extend his contract with the Rajasthan franchise.

Instead, he attempted to sign a greater financial agreement with some of the other franchises. Jadeja had apparently indulged in 'anti-team activities'. A part of Rajasthan's championship-winning inaugural season, Jadeja did not play for them again.