IPL 2026: Arshdeep Singh under fire after trolling PBKS fans’ financial status; viral row explained

Arshdeep took notice, and rather than ignoring it or responding with composure, he chose to hit back on Snapchat with a comment that mocked the fan's financial standing.

Arshdeep tagged the user on Snapchat and said, “Which arrow have you shot for Punjab, Singh saab? Now, even people who ask their family for chips and cold drink money will advise me on whether to keep Punjab's name or not.”

The message was sarcastic, personal, and aimed squarely at the fan's economic situation.

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The Tilak Varma incident adds to the fire

The fan controversy arrived alongside a separate but equally uncomfortable episode. In the lead-up to the MI match, a Snapchat video surfaced showing Arshdeep addressing Tilak Varma as "andhere", referring to his dark skin tone, while referring to teammate Naman Dhir as "noor", meaning "light."

He also repeatedly suggested Tilak apply sunscreen, framing the comments as humour. Tilak, to his credit, responded calmly and did not escalate the moment and insisted that he had indeed applied sunscreen.

The remarks reflected a casual attitude toward colourism that goes well beyond banter.

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The Cricket News Opinion: Arshdeep must hold himself to a higher standard

Fans can be harsh, unfair, and sometimes deeply unkind. But an international cricketer responding to a supporter by mocking their income is not the right approach. It is punching down, and most people can see that clearly.

Arshdeep has the talent and the platform to handle criticism with a level of maturity that the moment demanded. He chose differently, and the fallout is a lesson worth learning from.

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