5 most controversial overseas incidents in Indian cricket

Over the course of India's cricketing history, the team have had a reputation for being ideal visitors. They did not make waves when they went abroad, did not engage in heated moments on the field, and did not win much either.

However, with the emergence of better cricketers and people who did not like taking a backward step, the team gradually became a lot more feisty. That was in the 1970s and 1980s. Although the Indian team have not been involved in as many spats and controversies as some other teams, they have still built up a nice little collection. Here is a look at 5 of the biggest controversies involving the Indian cricket team in overseas tours.

#5 Kapil Dev-Kepler Wessels spat

Kapil Dev 'Mankads' Peter Kirsten

In 1992, India became the first nation to visit South Africa after they returned from their hiatus and the series was christened the 'Friendship Series'. However, things turned ugly between the two sides during the second one day international. In the game in question, India struggled and were shot out for only 147 in 49.4 overs.

Andrew Hudson and captain Kepler Wessels commenced the run chase. Indian legend Kapil Dev dismissed Hudson early and that brought Peter Kirsten to the crease.

Kirsten had been backing up at the non-striker's end frequently and in the 9th over of the innings, Kapil Dev ran him out. The only problem was, he had not been warned even once but the Indian team stuck with their appeal and Kirsten was sent packing. However, the action had just begun.

Captain Wessels was incensed and proceeded to show his anger by hitting Kapil Dev on the shin with his bat. That made it one of the biggest controversies involving the Indian team on tour and even though Wessels admitted to the offence, he incredibly told the match referee (Clive Lloyd) that he did not hit Kapil on purpose.

#4 Dhoni and Ravindra Jadeja's fight with James Anderson

Ravindra Jadeja and James Anderson

India's 2014 tour of England started brightly enough for the visitors when they drew the first Test match at Nottingham, but behind the scenes, controversy was brewing. England fast bowler James Anderson, known for his abrasive nature on the field, just before lunch on the 2nd day at Trent Bridge, was involved in a sledging match with Indian all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja.

It continued when the players walked off for lunch and in the corridor, Jadeja's partner and Indian captain MS Dhoni alleged that Anderson had pushed the all-rounder.

Dhoni took up the matter at the end of the Test match and the incensed Indian captain forced the team manager Sunil Dev to lodge a complaint against Anderson. The English media went into a frenzy stating that the Indian team wanted to take out the opposition's best bowler but eventually, Anderson was charged with a level 3 offence.

However, a twist was still in the offing. The authorities at Trent Bridge claimed that there was no CCTV footage of the incident and Anderson got away scot-free.

#3 Gavaskar's walkout

Gavaskar argues with Lillee, Melbourne 1981

The Melbourne Test match in 1981 might have been one of India's finest overseas wins, but it could have ended in embarrassment had captain Sunil Gavaskar got his way during India's second innings when he wanted to walk off along with his batting partner.

The Indian batting great had been in poor form throughout the series and in the 2nd innings of the third and final Test, he was striking the ball well for the first time in the tour. India were comfortably placed at 165 for no loss when Dennis Lillee brought one back into Gavaskar and while the Indian batsman was still showing his bat to the umpire, the finger went up. Gavaskar was furious and made his frustration known to the umpire by banging his bat on to his pads.

Lillee, on the other hand, let fly a few verbals and when Gavaskar eventually started walking back to the pavilion, the Australian bowler said something that completely pushed the Indian over the edge. Gavaskar had almost reached the boundary but he returned and called his partner Chetan Chauhan to walk off with him.

Chauhan had no choice but to follow his captain's orders and had they crossed the boundary line then the Test match may have been awarded to Australia by default. However, team manager Shahid Durrani rose to the occasion and helped his captain back to the pavilion, while asking Chauhan to get on with the game.

It was an extremely ugly chapter in Indian cricket and something which Gavaskar regrets to this day.

#2 The Mike Denness fiasco

Mike Denness

Back in 2001, this became, without a shadow of a doubt, the biggest controversy that the Indian cricket team were involved in on an overseas trip. Former England captain Mike Denness might not be known much for his exploits on the cricket field but the events of 19th and 20th November 2001 made him a household name in India.

The 2nd Test at Port Elizabeth was an up-and-down affair with India looking to hold on for a draw on the final day, however, it was the incredible range of punishments handed out by Mike Denness that overshadowed the proceedings on the cricket field.

Six Indian cricketers were meted out punishments by Denness. Harbhajan Singh, Deep Dasgupta, Shiv Sundar Das and Virender Sehwag were all banned for one Test due to excessive appealing. Sachin Tendulkar was banned for one Test due to ball-tampering charges. TV footage showed that Tendulkar was cleaning the seam but the on-field umpires reported nothing. However, the most bizarre punishment went to captain Sourav Ganguly, who was banned for a Test and two one-dayers for failing to control his players.

The Indian team played out a draw but there were rumours afloat that the team would no longer play in South Africa if Denness remained the match referee. Incredibly, the South African board succumbed to India's demands and removed Denness, which made the third Test an unofficial one.

#1 Sydney 2008 and Monkeygate

The main protagonists of 'Monkeygate'

It is unlikely that there has ever been another controversy of this magnitude in international cricket. The second Test of the series, at Sydney, turned out to be one of the most controversial Test matches in modern-day cricket.

Throughout the course of the Test match, umpires Steve Bucknor and Mark Benson officiated in a way that can only be called amateurish. Almost all the umpiring decisions went against India when Australia were batting and later when the visitors were comfortably placed and in a position to draw the game, decisions started going against them again.

Out of the 11 erroneous decisions, as many as eight favoured the Australians. The Australians appealed for everything on the last day and even claimed catches that had clearly gone to ground. The umpires played along and eventually, India lost the Test match with a few minutes to go on the 5th day.

After the game, Indian captain Anil Kumble famously said, “Only one team was playing with the spirit of the game, that's all I can say.” It was, however, nothing compared to what was to follow.

Australian all-rounder Andrew Symonds had been subjected to racial abuse in India from the local crowds during the tour earlier in the year and on the third day of the Sydney Test, he had an altercation with Harbhajan Singh.

Symonds and Matthew Hayden alleged that Harbhajan had called him a 'monkey'. The umpires, who had already become villains in the eyes of the Indian team, reported the incident to the match referee Mike Proctor and stated that the Indian off-spinner had indeed used racist language.

Harbhajan was banned for three Tests and that is when the BCCI stepped in. They announced that the tour was going to be discontinued and the team did not travel to their next venue.

The ICC then involved Mike Hansen, a judge from New Zealand to hear Harbhajan's appeal and the spinner was allowed to play the next Test. On the 28th of January, Hansen stated that there was no proof that Harbhajan had used inappropriate language against Symonds and the charges were dropped.

It remains one of the most controversial episodes in modern cricket history and strained India-Australia relations forever.