2020 can be dubbed a controversial year for the happening of unwanted events and hijacking human life from its daily routine.
Not even any astrologer could have foreseen the major sporting events being standstill after the Covid-19 cases surged around the globe.
Cricket, unlike other sports, was on halt for close to four months only to hit back to stadiums without the cheers of spectators in the stands.
The world's richest cricket league - the Indian Premier League, which usually is held in Indian summers was pushed down to September in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
Despite observing less cricket in the bio-bubble calendar, we are not short of the controversies that took on field amongst your favourite cricketers or its coaching staff.
FPJ presents the top 5 controversies in cricket in 2020:
1) Indian concussion substitute debate.
During India's batting against Australia in the 1st T20I played at Manuka Oval, ll-rounder Ravindra Jadeja was hit by Mitchell Starc's nasty bouncer in the final over.
The all-rounder was assessed by the Indian medical team after which the decision to play Chahal on-field came in.
However, it didn't go well with Australian head coach Justin Langer who argued with the match referee David Boon.
Despite Langer's dissent Chahal took the field and returned with figures of 3/25, picking crucial wickets of skipper Aaron Finch, Steve Smith and Matthew Wade. India went on to win that game by 11 runs.
2) KXIP one-run short debate
During Kings XI Punjab's opening game against Delhi Capitals, an umpiring howler cost Preity Zinta's side to lose the game that went to a tie-breaker.
In the penultimate over of the match when KXIP was chasing 158, Mayank Agarwal and Chris Jordan attempted two runs only for the square leg umpire Nitin Menon to call a run short by Chris Jordan.
However the television replays displayed that Jordan had tapped his bat in the crease.
Former cricketers like Virender Sehwag and Irfan Pathan criticised the standard of umpiring who did not even use the technology.
Eventually Punjab lost the super over and failed to qualify in the playoffs by two points.
3) Will show them when they come to India: Kohli's revenge call to New Zealand
Indian skipper Virat Kohli was in the news before the pandemic when he was caught on stump mics uttering to his teammates in hindi: "Jab India mein yeh log aayengey, tab dikha doonga (When they will come to India, we will show them).
This incident took place on field while New Zealand was easily chasing India's meagre score of 132 on Day 3 of the final Test at Christchurch.
Kohli's comment didn't go well with the fans who trolled him on social media for his lack of sportsmanship.
4) Sunil Gavaskar vs Anushka Sharma
Cricket-legend turned commentator Sunil Gavaskar faced the wrath of Bollywood actor and RCB skipper Virat Kohli's wife Anushka Sharma.
The actor accused Gavaskar of dragging her name and blaming her for Kohli's lack of practice.
Gavaskar was in the commentary box during IPL match between Royal Challengers Bangalore and Kings XI Punjab.
“Aur jab lockdown tha to sirf Anushka ki bowling ki practice ki unhone. Vo dikhayi di video me," he pointed out that during lockdown Kohli had not practiced enough except facing (Anushka) Sharma's deliveries.
However, Sharma slammed Gavaskar through her Instagram story mentioning his message as distasteful.
People on social media were divided into opinions some standing with Gavaskar on his comments and others told him that he could have avoid taking the actor's name.
5) The switch-hit controversy
Former Australian cricketer Ian Chapell recently criticised the 'switch-hit' shot, reasoning it as bowler's disadvantage.
Chapell requested the umpires to declare an attempt of 'switch-hit' shot as a dead ball.
It came after Australian batsman Glenn Maxwell cleared a boundary off spinner Kuldeep Yadav in the T20I series.
Chapell feels the field is set for right-handed batsmen and with switch-hit the batsman easily gets runs and it turns unfair to the fielders. Veteran spinner Shane Warne has supported Chappell on his thoughts.
Meanwhile, BCCI president Sourav Ganguly has supported the usage of switch-hit calling the game has moved on.
"The game has moved on, so I don't see we can take away this popular stroke from the modern-day batsmen," Ganguly was quoted by Mid-Day.