Ajit Chandila is an Indian cricketer who played as a right-arm off-break bowler. He came to prominence in the Indian Premier League (IPL) in 2012 while representing the Rajasthan Royals, before his career was derailed by his involvement in the 2013 IPL spot-fixing case.
| Full name | Ajit Chandila |
|---|---|
| Nationality | Indian |
| Role | Bowler |
| Bowling style | Right-arm off-break |
| Batting style | Right-handed |
| Domestic team | Haryana |
| IPL franchise | Rajasthan Royals |
Chandila played domestic cricket in India for Haryana on the Ranji Trophy circuit. A late bloomer in professional cricket, he worked through age-group and club cricket before earning a domestic contract, and was noted for his control and ability to extract turn from a variety of surfaces.
Chandila was signed by the Rajasthan Royals for the 2012 edition of the IPL. He made an immediate impact, including a hat-trick against the Pune Warriors India during the season, becoming one of a small group of bowlers to achieve the feat in the tournament. His tight off-spin made him a regular feature in the Royals' bowling attack alongside experienced internationals.
He was retained by the franchise for the 2013 IPL season.
In May 2013, Chandila was arrested by the Delhi Police along with Rajasthan Royals teammates Sreesanth and Ankeet Chavan in connection with allegations of spot-fixing during the IPL. Following the arrests, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) suspended the trio pending the outcome of disciplinary proceedings.
The BCCI's disciplinary committee subsequently imposed a life ban on Chandila from all forms of cricket under its jurisdiction. The case prompted wider scrutiny of the IPL, contributed to the formation of the Justice Mukul Mudgal and Justice R. M. Lodha committees, and eventually led to the two-year suspension of the Rajasthan Royals and Chennai Super Kings franchises.
Chandila is remembered both for his hat-trick in IPL 2012 and as one of the central figures in the 2013 spot-fixing controversy, an episode widely regarded as a turning point in the governance of franchise cricket in India.