NEW DELHI: India fast bowler Arshdeep Singh created a huge buzz online after suddenly deleting more than 200 posts from his Instagram account and changing his display picture. Fans noticed that even his hugely popular Champions Trophy 2025 reel with Virat Kohli, which had crossed 150 million views, was removed.Arshdeep has not explained the reason behind the move, leading to speculation among fans about whether it was a personal reset, social media cleanup, or rebranding exercise.Despite rumours online, he did not remove all Punjab Kings-related content and still has PBKS mentioned in his bio. His remaining posts mostly include family pictures, cricket milestones, and brand promotions.The social media activity comes after Arshdeep faced several controversies during IPL 2026. Earlier in the season, he was criticised over an alleged racial comment aimed at teammate Tilak Varma before Punjab Kings’ game against Mumbai Indians.He was allegedly heard saying, “Oye Andhere, sunscreen lagaaya?” (“Hey, dark one, did you apply sunscreen?”), which sparked backlash online.Former India spinner Laxman Sivaramakrishnan reacted strongly and said, “Nobody believed me. Everyone mocked and trolled me. Arshdeep should be banned this season and should be paid on a pro rata basis. The players today should be hit where it hurts the most.”He also added, “If BCCI takes action, I will name people who racially abused me.”Arshdeep later landed in more controversy after replying angrily to a fan on Snapchat following Punjab Kings’ defeat to Mumbai Indians. Another viral Snapchat story involving teammate Priyansh Arya also drew criticism.On the field, IPL 2026 was disappointing for Arshdeep. He managed only 14 wickets in 14 matches and struggled with an economy rate above 10.
Should Arshdeep Singh face sanctions for the racial comment controversy?
