IPL fans have always debated players, selection calls and captaincy decisions—but the current wave of online hostility is increasingly looking manufactured. In recent months, names such as Travis Head and Shreyas Iyer have found themselves in the crossfire of organized fan arguments, after earlier flare-ups that included Hardik Pandya. What makes the situation more unsettling is the growing sense that much of what trends on social media may not be spontaneous.
How the fan wars keep spreading
- Travis Head, the Australian batter who plays for Sunrisers Hyderabad, became a target for his family after he was linked to a handshake snub involving Virat Kohli.
- After that, Shresta Iyer—Shreyas Iyer’s sister and the sibling of the Punjab Kings captain—faced trolling following the release of a video after a washed-out match against Kolkata Knight Riders.
- Before these incidents, Hardik Pandya had also been hit with backlash on social media after Mumbai Indians made a captaincy change.
The pattern, as described in a detailed report, is that while opinions can be passionate and even sharply worded, the modern version of these campaigns often appears less organic than it claims to be. The report explored how the toxic side of cricket fandom can be monetised and scaled, with players’ public images becoming targets in wider online battles.
A key point raised in the analysis is the cost of running a “negative” campaign against a particular cricketer. One industry insider said that agencies may charge anywhere from Rs 25,000 to Rs 2 lakh for spreading unfiltered hatred toward a specific player. The same source added that campaigns can be built around tailored information—such as customized statistics—before being pushed so the topic gains momentum. Pricing, the insider noted, can vary depending on whether the campaign is intended to trend for just a few hours or remain visible for days.
The report further argued that the way social media is used around cricketers has changed dramatically over roughly the last decade. Platforms have increasingly moved beyond being simple engagement tools and have turned into commercial engines. With viewership and attention now driving influence, a player’s social following has come to carry significant weight in shaping the value of digital endorsement deals, especially as traditional advertising income tied to linear television has started to shrink.
A senior BCCI official also highlighted the role of sports management firms in this ecosystem. The official said these agencies often review the profiles of social media aggregators with sizable followings, and then hire or engage them to strengthen a player’s online traction. In other words, brand-building and reputation management can become part of a broader, business-like social media strategy—sometimes with darker consequences.
A warning from Ravichandran Ashwin
Ravichandran Ashwin—widely regarded as one of the first high-profile cricketers to speak openly about the fan war culture—pointed to what he believes is a worrying “disease” spreading through social media debate. Speaking at the Revsportz Conclave, he said many of the opinions circulating through “fan armies” have been heard by him personally in real life before showing up online later under different names.
Ashwin clarified that he was not claiming players themselves are necessarily planting these views. However, he stressed that it raises a serious question: whether there is some form of orchestration behind the scenes. In his view, the repeated patterns suggest a structured ecosystem rather than independent public opinion.
He also acknowledged that modern players operate like entrepreneurs, and that amplifying external opinions can sometimes increase brand value or help public relations. Still, Ashwin said he would never endorse speaking negatively about another cricketer.
For many observers, Ashwin’s comments capture the concern at the heart of the current controversy: that what looks like mass fandom may, at least in parts, be driven by systems designed to manufacture attention—and to weaponize it against players.
