Arshdeep Singh’s racist comments to Tilak Varma in a Snapchat live video has gone viral with fans bashing him for his vlogging content.
Punjab Kings pacer Arshdeep Singh has landed himself in yet another off-field controversy after a Snapchat video surfaced showing him making a racist remark directed at Mumbai Indians batter Tilak Varma ahead of their IPL 2026 clash in Dharamsala.
In the viral clip, Arshdeep is seen sitting with MI all-rounder Naman Dhir — his domestic cricket teammate from Punjab — when he turns to Tilak Varma and says, “Oye Tilak, Andhere. Aaj sunscreen nahi lagaya kya?” — which translates to “Hey Tilak, darkness. Didn’t you apply sunscreen today?” He then referred to Dhir as the “real Noor (light) from Punjab,” drawing a direct contrast between the two players based on skin colour.
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Tilak Varma, who hails from Hyderabad, did not react aggressively on camera but appeared visibly uncomfortable. Social media users were quick to point out the disappointment on the young batter’s face, even as Dhir tried to explain the meaning of the word to him. Tilak eventually responded by saying he does use sunscreen — a composed reply to what many have called an entirely unnecessary remark from a senior India teammate.
Arshdeep Singh Racist Comments Not A First
This is not the first instance of Arshdeep being accused of colourism. In August 2025, ahead of the Asia Cup, a similar Snapchat video went viral in which Arshdeep and Ishan Kishan were seen mocking Gujarat Titans opener Sai Sudharsan. In that clip, after introducing Kishan as “Bihar ki aan baan shaan,” the camera turned to Sudharsan — and the duo made remarks about his complexion and facial features, including “Lips kahan hai?” (Where are the lips?) and jokes about needing to clean the camera lens. Sudharsan, like Tilak, is from South India and has a darker skin tone — a fact that both incidents appear to weaponise under the guise of humour.
That episode had triggered a significant backlash on social media, with hashtags calling out racism in Indian cricket trending for days. Arshdeep never formally apologised but posted a follow-up video with Jitesh Sharma in which he jokingly asked Jitesh not to say anything controversial — an indirect acknowledgment that he knew the line had been crossed.
The Vlogging Problem
The Tilak Varma incident comes at a time when the BCCI has already cracked down hard on what it calls the “reel culture” plaguing IPL 2026. An eight-page advisory issued by the board earlier this month placed restrictions on filming in sensitive areas, banned unauthorised guests in hotel rooms, and instructed players to keep security informed about all movements. The Anti-Corruption Unit flagged concerns about players’ proximity to social media influencers hired by franchises, with at least one instance of a young player using a team content creator for personal social media gain.
Arshdeep, arguably the IPL’s most prolific vlogger, was directly named in the crackdown. The BCCI instructed him to stop vlogging entirely for the rest of IPL 2026 after one of his clips inadvertently showed teammate Yuzvendra Chahal allegedly vaping on a team flight from Ahmedabad to Hyderabad. Punjab Kings separately reinforced the directive, banning all vlogging activity from within the franchise. Delhi Capitals followed suit with their own social media restrictions.
BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia left no room for ambiguity, stating that the “era of leniency is over” and warning of stringent action against any violator regardless of stature.
And yet, despite the warnings, despite the Sai Sudharsan episode, and despite being explicitly told to put the camera down — Arshdeep’s latest video has once again put him in the spotlight for all the wrong reasons. A pattern of casual colourism dressed up as banter is not a good look for a two-time T20 World Cup winner, and it remains to be seen whether the BCCI or Punjab Kings will take any formal action this time around.
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