Chennai Super Kings (CSK), five-time IPL champions and one of the most successful teams in the league’s history, are once again under scrutiny ahead of the 2025 season. While CSK strengthened their squad in the recent auction, an old controversy has resurfaced.
Former IPL governor Lalit Modi accused CSK owner N Srinivasan of influencing umpiring decisions in favor of the team by appointing Chennai-based umpires.
In a video shared on X, Modi claimed that Srinivasan, who played a major role in Indian cricket administration, had opposed his attempts to expose the umpiring controversy. He also accused Srinivasan of manipulating the auction for Andrew Flintoff and other questionable practices in the league.
https://x.com/indian_analyzer/status/1861583129519276263?s=46
So, here are 3 instances when CSK was involved in off-field controversies:
#1 Lalit Modi accused Srinivasan of appointing Chennai-based umpires for CSK matches
As stated earlier, Lalit Modi has accused Srinivasan of altering umpires, claiming that the former BCCI president would appoint Chennai-based umpires for CSK’s matches in the league.
“I accused him for it. He would tell he would change the umpire and I didn’t think two things about it. But then I realized he is putting Chennai umpire in my game, it’s an issue for me. That’s called fixing so when I tried to expose those, he went totally against me,” he said in the recent video circulating on X.
If true, the allegations suggest match-fixing through umpire manipulation. Modi also accused Srinivasan of rigging the auction to secure Andrew Flintoff for CSK by preventing other teams from bidding.
#2 N Srinivasan’s issue of conflict of interest
N. Srinivasan, the secretary of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) at the time, was embroiled in a major conflict of interest scandal. When the IPL launched in 2008, Srinivasan held the position of BCCI secretary.
However, he manipulated the board’s regulations for personal gain. BCCI’s Clause 6.2.4 prohibited administrators from having commercial interests in events organized by the Indian Cricket Board.
Yet, when the IPL started, the clause was conveniently altered to allow administrators to hold stakes in IPL franchises, enabling Srinivasan to acquire ownership of Chennai Super Kings (CSK).
#3 Spot-fixing and betting charges led to CSK’s two-year ban
CSK was at the center of the IPL’s darkest controversy. Despite being one of the league’s most successful teams, the franchise was banned for two years in 2016 and 2017. The scandal involved Gurunath Meiyappan, the team’s former principal, who was found guilty of illegal betting during the 2013 IPL season.
As a result, Meiyappan received a lifetime ban from all cricket-related activities. The franchise was also suspended from the IPL for two years, missing the 2016 and 2017 seasons.
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