IPL: A festival of team spirit or breeding ground of egos

The Indian Premier League (IPL) has long been hailed as a celebration of cricketing talent, friendship, and entertainment. It brings together cricketers from around the globe and gives domestic players the platform of a lifetime. But under all that glitter and glam, is the IPL a festival of team spirit or a breeding ground for egos among India’s own cricketers? This question has gained fresh momentum after an awkward moment during the 2025 IPL Eliminator between Mumbai Indians (MI) and Gujarat Titans (GT) on Friday. At the toss, MI captain Hardik Pandya extended a handshake to GT skipper Shubman Gill, but Gill failed to notice it, leading to an uncomfortable moment. Later, after Gill was dismissed, Pandya’s unusually animated celebration and his subtle snub while walking past the batter lit up social media. “Is it the start of a mini rivalry?” a commentator said on-air, and many fans echoed the sentiment online. While such instances may be brushed off as heat-of-the-moment reactions, this is not the first time IPL has seen tempers between players who share the same Indian dressing room. One of the most infamous on-field spats in IPL history occurred in 2013 between Virat Kohli and Gautam Gambhir during a match between Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Kolkata Knight Riders. After Kohli’s dismissal, instead of walking off, he made a remark that seemingly triggered Gambhir, who charged toward him in anger. Even more explosive was the 2008 ‘Slapgate’ scandal, when then MI captain Harbhajan Singh allegedly slapped Punjab Kings paceman S Sreesanth after a match. The incident left Sreesanth in tears. Such moments raise a question about the impact of the IPL on national team unity. In the tournament, Indian players often lead competing franchises. Captains on opposing sides, with separate coaches, strategies and ambitions, sometimes find themselves at cross-purposes with teammates they have to later stand beside while representing the national team. Yet, many argue the league actually strengthens the national team. Players like MS Dhoni have often spoken about how the IPL helps players bond, learn leadership, and gain exposure to pressure situations, all of which contribute to a strong Team India. In fact, several current players owe their national breakthroughs to their IPL stints. So does the IPL build team spirit or test it? Perhaps it does both. It creates a melting pot of personalities, ideologies, and ambitions, sometimes creating friction, but also forging steel. The key, as always, lies in what happens off the field, when the jerseys are the same and the flag above all.

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