The Indian Premier League (IPL) has once again landed in a fresh controversy after shocking claims about a franchise owner’s behavior towards a former captain hit the headlines amid the ongoing IPL 2026.
The latest incident has reportedly left that franchise support staff and players shocked and uncomfortable, as things allegedly turned “personal” during an IPL match.
‘Just get him out’: IPL owner’s dressing-room order stuns players
As reported by CricBlogger, an IPL owner openly asked his bowling attack to focus only on getting out a batter who had once captained the same franchise. The owner’s exact words were, “Just get him out. We don’t need anything else.”
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Rivalries are very common in the IPL, but many felt this situation crossed the line. One of the support staff members from the franchise said this incident left a “bad taste.”
The former captain had earlier led that franchise for multiple seasons but could not win the IPL trophy before parting ways with the franchise.
Players left stunned over ‘personal’ agenda
Sources claimed that the owner openly told the bowling group that dismissing the ex-captain was the main target, which left the bowlers uncomfortable as they felt the matter had become personal.
A team source was quoted as saying by CricBlogger: “How can you single out your former captain when winning and losing are part of any sport? This becomes completely personal.”
The source admitted that competition and emotions are natural in sports, but singling out one individual in this way did not feel right. They also felt that players deserve respect even after leaving a franchise, whether the team won trophies or not.
The source added, “The respect factor has to be there all the time.”
Team insiders feel IPL rivalry crossed the line
The IPL has seen many breakups between teams and players over the years. Big stars have changed franchises, captains have moved on, and coaches have taken new roles. But in most cases, both sides handled the separation respectfully without creating personal drama.
This is not the first time IPL franchise owners have faced criticism. Earlier, there had also been reports about owners entering dressing rooms after defeats and expressing anger towards players and coaching staff. Some incidents even became public and created huge controversy online. But this incident has crossed the line, felt team sources.
Who was the target?
The latest incident didn’t reveal the name of the player or franchise, but it could be Sanju Samson, KL Rahul, or Rishabh Pant. Last year, Samson moved to Chennai Super Kings from Rajasthan Royals in a big trade deal, involving Ravindra Jadeja and Sam Curran.
During the mega auction, Pant left the Delhi Capitals and joined the Lucknow Super Giants before IPL 2025, while KL Rahul joined DC after an infamous spat with LSG owner Sanjiv Goenka. Pant had led DC for several seasons but could not lift the trophy, and Samson’s case was also the same with RR. Rahul also led LSG in four IPL seasons with glory before moving to Delhi.
