PBKS vs MI: Punjab Kings (PBKS) and Mumbai Indians (MI) were set to clash in a high-stakes match in Dharamshala but the match has been overshadowed by a huge off-field controversy. Punjab’s star pacer Arshdeep Singh has been facing severe backlash on social media after a viral video allegedly showed him making a racist comment towards Mumbai Indians batter Tilak Varma.
The incident, reportedly after a practice session at the HPCA Stadium, has added to the woes of the left-arm pacer who was already under fire for his dip in form and his high-profile relationship with actress Samreen Kaur.
Arshdeep Singh Mocks Tilak Varma: “Oye Andhere, Sunscreen Lagaaya?”
In a video circulating on X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram, Arshdeep Singh is seen staring into Tilak Varma’s eyes and jokingly asking, “Oye Andhere, sunscreen lagaaya?” (Hey Darkie, did you apply sunscreen?).
This is yet another shameless act from Arshdeep Singh. He keeps using the Punjab word in every story so that people blindly defend him, no matter how cringe or unnecessary his actions are.
Mocking Tilak Varma in that manner was completely disrespectful.pic.twitter.com/bTPXiJrQsw
— Soman. (@Shreyasian96) May 14, 2026
The clip has caused outrage among the fans who pointed out the supposed discomfort on Tilak Varma’s face. Though the comment was probably intended as “locker-room banter” among Indian teammates, internet users have slammed it as an insensitive racial slur about skin colour. The moment was captioned in a viral post, “This wasn’t banter this was pure racial shade. The pain on Tilak’s face spoke volumes.
The Samreen Kaur And Vlog Row
This controversy is happening at a time when Arshdeep is already under intense scrutiny. Recently, videos of him walking hand-in-hand with his rumoured girlfriend Samreen Kaur on the streets of Dharamshala went viral.
Fans have pointed to “distractions” as the reason for his poor economy rate this season. There are also whispers that the BCCI has caught wind of Samreen allegedly being on the team bus, after new, more rigid protocols around ‘influencer culture’ and unapproved guests in player areas.
Earlier this month, there was another massive controversy when a deleted vlog purportedly showed PBKS spinner Yuzvendra Chahal vaping inside a chartered team flight. It has been reported that the video was taken from a podcast-style video that Arshdeep was filming.
Arshdeep, who often makes content, has been reportedly served a formal notice and has been banned from filming any social media content for the remainder of the season.
BCCI Discipline and Potential Inquiry
The timing of the incident is especially problematic given the BCCI’s recent crackdown on player conduct. The board recently issued a “Yellow Alert” on discipline and security, specifically aimed at overzealous behind-the-scenes filming and unauthorised entries into team dugouts.
While there has been no official word from either Punjab Kings or Mumbai Indians, fans are calling for a formal inquiry. The IPL’s Code of Conduct provides for severe penalties for any remark considered discriminatory or derogatory towards race or skin colour, including match bans and hefty fines.
Attention is divided as the two sides meet today in a must-win encounter for Punjab. Whether Arshdeep can silence the noise with the ball or if this “racist mock” results in disciplinary action, this is the biggest talking point of the evening.
Debayan Bhattacharyya is a seasoned sports journalist and digital media professional, currently serving as the Chief Sub Editor at ITV Digital (NewsX). A true Football-Fanatic Bong, his professional journey began at Zee Media, where he kicked off his career as a Sub-Editor for the sports team at India.com and CricketCountry. His ability to blend insightful analysis with rapid-fire news delivery soon led him to Times Network, where he served as a Senior Copy Editor for Times Now. Before his current role at NewsX, Debayan spent a significant tenure at OneIndia’s MyKhel as a Senior Sub Editor.
