There was a time when the sport was played exclusively by gentlemen, but that wasn’t always the case. On the cricket field, it is not uncommon to see players smiling and laughing as they are enjoying themselves. Despite this, there have only been a few instances when tempers have flared and players have behaved in a manner that is inconsistent with who they are as individuals. Now that we’ve gotten that out of the way, let’s have a look at a few cricket players who have completely lost their minds. Learn more by looking at the list of the top cricket fights between players.
- Javed Miandad vs. Dennis Lillee
Ten of the most important fights in cricket history Javed Miandad vs. Dennis Lillee
This is about both the fiery fast bowler Dennis Lillee from Australia and the legendary batsman Javed Miandad from Pakistan. After playing the ball down to fine leg, Miandad was trying to get to second base on a single when Lillee allegedly bumped into him. Miandad’s anger got worse, and he yelled at Lillee for a long time. A few seconds later, Miandad lost his temper when Lillee kicked him in the back to say sorry. This made Miandad swing his bat at Lillee. The umpire got in the way, though, which was a good thing. Greg Chappell, the captain of Australia, defended Lillee by saying that Miandad was the one who first made him angry. But because of his actions, Lillee had to pay a fine of $2,000 Australian dollars.
- Harbhajan Singh vs. Sreesanth
On the Indian side, Harbhajan Singh and Sreesanth were two of the most lively players. Unfortunately, the two got into a fight over something that isn’t clear. This happened during an Indian Premier League game between the Kings XI Punjab and the Mumbai Indians. Harbhajan reportedly got angry when Sreesanth walked up to him after the game and said, “Well done,” in a mocking tone. Later, it was found out that Harbhajan had hit Sreesanth in the face because of what he had said, and TV viewers saw Sreesanth crying. When asked about the bad thing that happened, neither player would say anything. Harbhajan couldn’t play for the rest of that IPL season.
- Andrew Symonds vs. Harbhajan Singh
Ten of the most important fights in cricket history Andrew Symonds will play Harbhajan Singh.
As was already said, Harbhajan Singh was often involved in fights on the field. “MonkeyGate” happened at the SCG during a test match between India and Australia. During India’s innings, when Sachin Tendulkar and Harbhajan Singh were at the crease, Bhajji and Symonds were seen fighting. Symonds said that Harbhajan had called him a “monkey,” which is a rude word.
It was a serious accusation, and Harbhajan could have been charged with racial slurs because of it. But Harbhajan was sure that he never said that. Instead, he would say “maaki,” which in his language means “your mother.” After the game, the Indians said they would cut short their trip if the charges against Harbhajan weren’t dropped. Many Australians think that this event was the start of the end for Symonds and that Bhajji got off easy. In their own fields, it was a turning point for all of them.
- Ramnaresh Sarwan vs. Glenn McGrath
One of the ten biggest fights in cricket history was between Glenn McGrath and Ramnaresh Sarwan.
Australians are known as the “bad boys” of cricket because they always have something to say to the other team. But when other people do the same, they don’t seem to handle it well. The situation between Glenn McGrath and Ramnaresh Sarwan is a great example of this. In 2003, on the fourth day of the test match at the Antigua Recreation Ground, when the West Indies were in charge, Glenn McGrath started his usual yelling at the batter by shaking his head.
McGrath told Sarwan about his friendship with Brian Lara, the captain of the Windies. So, Sarwan replied on the same topic, but he brought McGrath’s wife into it, which neither of them liked. It seems to have struck a nerve, because at the end of the over, McGrath charged towards Sarwan and yelled, “If you ever f***ing talk about my wife again, I’ll kill you!” Be careful, because I’m going to cut your throat. In the end, McGrath’s wife was found to have cancer.
- Kieron Pollard vs. Mitchell Starc
A young Mitchell Starc had a reputation for being a hothead. In a 2014 match between MI and RCB, he got into a nasty altercation with Kieron Pollard. Amidst mounting tension in the seventeenth over, Starc delivered a bouncer that Pollard managed to avoid, and then sled him to throw off his rhythm. When Starc was halfway through his run-up for the following delivery, Pollard walked away from facing the bowler and toward square leg. However, Starc didn’t give up on his run-up, so he bowled the ball directly at Pollard despite his frustration.
Infuriated by Starc’s behaviour, Pollard raised his bat with the intention of throwing it at him, but he caught himself in time before it hit anybody. If he hadn’t come to his senses at that precise time, who knows how bad things may have become. Both players received a 50% match fee penalties for their disruptive actions.
- Virat Kohli vs. Gautam Gambhir
A few years ago, in 2013, when playing for RCB and KKR in the Indian Premier League, Virat Kohli and Gautam Gambhir exchanged words. Virat Kohli was in fine form at the crease, and he blasted two sixes in the ninth over. In the tenth over, he sliced a delivery right into the clutches of sweeper cover as he came down the track. Kohli was walking off the field feeling down when he spotted Gautam Gambhir excitedly celebrating his dismissal and heard something he didn’t appreciate. Like two bulls at the commencement of a battle, he began going towards Gambhir right away, and Gautam did the same. At that same moment, however, senior Pro Rajat Bhatia intervened and separated the two. Both players, though, have thus far declined to discuss the incident in detail.
