Ranking top 10 controversial cricketers

1. Shoaib Akhtar

Undoubtedly the fastest bowler to have ever played the game, Shoaib Akhtar was one of a kind. He clocked speeds greater than 150 km/h consistently through a large part of his career, which is still a dream for most fast bowlers. His ferocious pace supplemented by his aggression & skill have troubled the best batsmen in the world. However, his early success was quickly followed by a long period of controversy, which forced him to leave the team for an extended period of time.

In 2003, during the Triangular Series in Sri Lanka, Akhtar was accused of ball tampering and was later banned. Akhtar was eventually sent home on the 2005 tour of Australia for indiscipline and was out of the team for the better part of the year after receiving a three-match ban – one Test and two ODIs – for allegedly insulting Paul Adams. 

In 2006, Pakistan cricket was rocked by a massive drug controversy, and Akhtar was the main suspect, along with Mohammad Asif, who were both found guilty of taking performance-enhancing substances. Akhtar was sentenced to a two-year ban, but on appeal, he was found not guilty. He was also banned for five matches after being accused of striking teammate Asif with a bat during the 2007 T20I World Cup. After breaking the Code of Conduct in 2008, Akhtar once again faced a suspension of 5 years but was acquitted just a year later.