India vs Bangladesh has always been a fiery fixture, not just in terms of its cricket but also with respect to the crazy incidents it has brought with it. And as the two teams get ready to face each other in the 2025 Asia Cup Super 4 fixture, let's revisit 5 controversies surrounding India vs Bangladesh over the years.
In the 2015 World Cup quarter-final at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, a seemingly straightforward dismissal of Rohit Sharma on 90 gave rise to a massive controversy. A full toss by Rubel Hossain was met by Rohit Sharma's top edge as he holed out to deep-mid wicket. But the on-field umpire, Ian Gould, deemed the ball was above waist height. Which the replays proved was untrue. Rohit went on to blast 47 more runs to end his innings on 137. India won the match by a margin of 109 runs, but that moment was seen as the turning point. The then-ICC President, Mustafa Kamal, a Bangladeshi, publicly called out the umpires, calling the decisions "pre-arranged" and even suggesting the ICC had become the "Indian Cricket Council." The Bangladeshi Cricket Board even made official protests.
Dhoni's Photoshopped Image
Ahead of the 2016 Asia Cup Final in Dhaka, Bangladeshi fans photoshopped an Image of their premier pacer, Taskin Ahmed, holding the severed head of Indian skipper MS Dhoni. This image went viral on the internet and caused a massive uproar from the Indian fans. This wasn't the first time an image was doctored; a year earlier, a Bangladeshi newspaper had published a photoshopped picture of Indian players with half-shaved heads. MSD's image was seen as a vicious personal attack, leading to a lot of controversy in the coming days.
Kohli vs. Rubel Hossain Face-Offs
The rivalry between Virat Kohli and Rubel Hossain is a long-standing personal feud dating back to their U-19 days.According to Rubel, their altercations began during a tri-nation series in South Africa in 2008, where he claims Kohli was verbally aggressive.The rivalry continued into the senior level.During the 2011 World Cup, they had a heated exchange after Rubel threw the ball aggressively at Kohli. The most significant moment came during the controversial 2015 World Cup quarter-final. After dismissing Kohli for a mere 3 runs, Rubel celebrated with a fiery, aggressive stare-down. This moment was widely seen as a culmination of their long-standing animosity.
Fake Fielding Allegation (2022)
In the 2022 T20 World Cup, a dramatic finish was followed by a controversial allegation. During Bangladesh's chase, a ball was hit into the offside. As the batters ran a second, Virat Kohli, standing at point, made a gesture of throwing the ball, even though it was in the hands of another fielder. The on-field umpires did not call it a "fake fielding" violation.After India's narrow 5-run victory, Bangladeshi keeper Nurul Hasan publicly accused Kohli of the offence, citing Law 41.5 of the MCC's Laws of Cricket, which prohibits fielders from "deliberate distraction, deception or obstruction" of a batter. Had the umpires penalised India, Bangladesh would have been awarded five crucial runs. While replays confirmed Kohli's gesture, the batters were not visibly deceived, and the umpires' decision was final
India vs Bangladesh U19 World Cup 2020 Final
The 2020 Under-19 World Cup final was a tense, low-scoring affair. Chasing 178, Bangladesh's first-ever ICC Tournament victory was met with an ugly on-field scuffle. After the winning runs were hit, Bangladeshi players stormed the field with aggressive celebrations. Multiple players from both sides exchanged heated words, and the situation quickly escalated to physical contact. Some players were seen pushing and shoving each other. Umpires and team officials had to intervene to restore order. The ICC took notice of the incident, imposing sanctions on five players. Three from Bangladesh (Md Towhid Hridoy, Shamim Hossain, Rakibul Hasan) and two from India (Akash Singh, Ravi Bishnoi), for breaching the ICC Code of Conduct.
