Punjab Kings’ left-arm quick Arshdeep Singh has become the subject of intense debate as his franchise battles through IPL 2026. The controversy began after a clip circulated online showing Arshdeep allegedly using a disparaging remark for Mumbai Indians batter Tilak Varma, calling him “Andhere” (meaning “dark one”). The footage quickly spread across social media, triggering criticism from supporters and former players alike, including Laxman Sivaramakrishnan, who urged the BCCI to look into the matter.
With the uproar still unfolding, Arshdeep drew another wave of attention when he fired back sharply at a fan on social media. The supporter had asked him to drop “Punjab” from the name of his team. Arshdeep’s response, shared and discussed widely, further fuelled the online storm around him.
Andrew Leipus addresses the debate ahead of PBKS vs RCB
Ahead of Punjab Kings’ match against Royal Challengers Bengaluru, PBKS head of sports science Andrew Leipus stepped in to address the growing noise surrounding Arshdeep. Leipus also discussed what he believes lies behind the pacer’s uneven output this season, while noting that modern cricketers often stay highly connected to phones and social media.
Leipus said the franchise staff have been monitoring Arshdeep’s physical condition and working to identify any limitations that could affect his performance. “We’ve been working together a little bit and looking at his body if there’s any restrictions in his body that might be a reason for some of his performances being up and down. We think we’ve hit on a bit of a winner there. He’s been feeling a lot better in the last couple of weeks, physically,” Leipus said.
He then added that the issue may not be limited to fitness and suggested that constant phone usage can become disruptive when players are not in the structured environment of a team setup. “One of the best things the ICC ever did was take phones away. When you’re in that team environment, it’s not an issue. It’s outside that when it becomes an issue. I’ve heard rumours. I think potentially it is something that needs to be addressed,” Leipus added.
Stats show a dip after earlier reputation
Arshdeep has so far played 12 matches, taking 13 wickets while keeping an economy rate of 9.70. Once known for his reliability in the closing overs, the left-arm pacer appears to be struggling to maintain his usual rhythm in this campaign.
Leipus also argued that phone habits among younger players can be a contributing factor to the broader problem. “I’m old. I don’t really partake in a lot of social media. You can check my name out there. I’m probably the wrong person to be asking. You look across every team, you’ll see guys sitting there on their phones in the buses. There’s not a lot of chatter going on. It is a problem, I think. I’ve got young kids. I’m trying to steer them away from it,” he said.
