A relatively unknown 22-year-old opener has become an object of conversation in the Delhi Premier League, after being selected to open for New Delhi Tigers, but not because of his performances with the bat. Dev Chaudhary's inclusion in the New Delhi Tigers side has raised questions over the Delhi and Districts Cricket Association's (DDCA) selection policy, and the processes through which he was able to get his place in the tournament.

New Delhi Tigers are currently languishing at the bottom of the eight-team league, with just one win from their first 10 matches, while Chaudhary has played on two occasions as opener.

He was dismissed for a two-ball duck against South Delhi Superstarz before scoring 16 from 24 balls against West Delhi Lions. Chaudhary's second knock attracted a lot of attention due to his batting style and five consecutive dot balls against a spinner during the powerplay, which became the subject of conversation in the ground.

What Is The Dev Chaudhary Controversy In DPL 2026?

At the center of the controversy is the player's cricketing credentials vis-a-vis the opportunity given to him in the DPL, which is a showcase league for Delhi's rising stars, with eyes on the IPL.

The only publicly available evidence of Chaudhary's junior cricketing credentials is a DDCA Under-19 preliminary trial list from 2021, in which he has been mentioned as an all-rounder specializing in middle-order batting and right-arm fast bowling. However, he was an opener in the two DPL matches he has played so far.

Chaudhary was eligible to participate in the DPL after playing for Sporting Club in the DDCA League, from which the pace bowler Prince Yadav, who plays for India, also emerged. A club insider told PTI that Chaudhary had been recommended by former India Under-19 and Delhi pacer Pradeep Sangwan.

“The player had played two matches for us when a senior member of the club contacted us and told our coach to leave him (Chaudhary) as he wasn't good enough to continue with us. We were surprised to see his name in the DPL,” said the source, adding that his club had nothing to do with his being with New Delhi Tigers.

It needs to be mentioned that while multiple people accused Chaudhary of corruption, no official complaint had been filed against him by any authority, and he has not been accused of any wrongdoing by anyone until the point of publishing this report.

The controversy erupted on social media after accusations of bias and corruption surrounding his selection in the DPL. New Delhi Tigers eventually removed him from their squad on August 24. However, his exit from the team did little to quell the controversy over his selection in the first place.

The DPL Rule At The Center Of The Row

The issue at the heart of the controversy is a rule in the DPL's 2022 season regulations. According to it, the eight franchises that participated in the tournament could sign three players not auctioned by the league if they had played a minimum of five matches for the DDCA league.

Most of the members of the DDCA Apex Council reportedly objected to this rule when it was proposed, claiming that it would pave the way for favouritism.

Lawyer Shyam Sharma, along with senior officials Manjeet Singh, Harish Singla, and Shikha Kumar, had objected to the rule being implemented. Sharma, who has once again raised his voice against the alleged corruption in the selection of Chaudhary, told PTI that the rule was “a shame”.

“The number of matches played in the DDCA league, according to me, was not enough to say that the player was eligible to be in the DPL,” he said. Sharma claimed that Chaudhary's case was not an isolated incident, as he had heard about other players also getting into the DPL on recommendation.

Dev Chaudhary's selection in the New Delhi Tigers has sparked accusations of corruption and bias in the selection process. While Sharma has alleged that other players have also received special treatment, no proof of such claims has been presented so far. DDCA secretary Ashok Sharma said they would look into the matter.

“I will look into it, but this rule will be examined after the completion of the tournament,” he told PTI.

The questions have also reached the New Delhi Tigers' coaching staff. The team's head coach is Rajkumar Sharma, the Dronacharya Award winner best known for coaching Virat Kohli during his formative years. Bantoo Singh is the team's assistant coach.

PTI reported that Rajkumar Sharma did not respond to repeated WhatsApp messages or phone calls requesting elaboration on Chaudhary's selection. The team owner, Ajay Kumar, also apparently did not respond to requests for comment.

The lack of a response has added to the scrutiny of the selection due to Mr Sharma's stature in Indian cricket. His involvement in either selecting or endorsing a player's performance necessarily carries significant weight, particularly on this issue.

At the same time, attention to the player himself must be handled with caution. Chaudhary is a 22-year-old player not responsible for the DPL's eligibility rules, let alone the choice of himself for this particular team. He has also suffered significantly from criticism and online abuse, including accusations of being a “fraud”, and there is no proof in evidence for the accusation of any breach of conduct by the player.

The greater problem is, therefore, that it's not Chaudhary. It's whether the DPL's selection framework had adequate safeguards against favoritism and whether the DDCA should have imposed a more stringent qualification standard for players entering the competition, particularly outside the auction.

With the DDCA set to review the rule after the tournament, the controversial selection of Dev Chaudhary could potentially lead to a re-examination of how players are selected for the Delhi Premier League.