New Delhi: What began as a quirky “chit” celebration has turned into one of IPL 2026’s most talked-about storylines off the field, sitting alongside Punjab Kings and a few of its players’ frequent social-media moments. The trend has moved through nearly every phase imaginable—first going viral, then becoming a source of fun, later getting labelled as excessive, and eventually spawning mockery and parody. Abhishek Sharma’s sincere message to the “Orange Army” last season was followed by Deepak Chahar this week, who leaned into the idea by performing a pretend chit routine.
How the “chit” trend spread—and why it matters
Not everyone joined the celebration with the same enthusiasm. Ambati Rayudu dismissed it as “rubbish and nonsense”, Mitchell McClenaghan admitted he was “flabbergasted”, and Dale Steyn insisted it was “never really trending”. Yet, beneath the memes, the trolling, and the criticism, there is often a personal thread in each moment—turning the spectacle into something closer to a snapshot of the player’s journey.
- Abhishek Sharma’s chit was linked to gratitude toward the fans.
- Urvil Patel used the format as a tribute to his father.
- Raghu Sharma’s note reflected on a 15-year grind.
- For Akash Maharaj Singh, the chit became a release of long-held frustration and an embrace of finally getting his spotlight.
Akash Maharaj Singh’s first big moment in IPL 2026
The emotions behind Akash’s celebration were rooted in frustration and feeling stuck in the dugout, waiting for a chance despite being connected to four different franchises: Rajasthan Royals, Chennai Super Kings, Sunrisers Hyderabad and Lucknow Super Giants. That long wait became visible when Akash, playing his first match for LSG this season, dismissed CSK captain Ruturaj Gaikwad and celebrated by pulling a chit from his pocket. The message on the note read: “Akki on fire – Akash knows how to take wickets in T20 game.”
He followed up by dismissing Sanju Samson and Urvil, ending with figures of 3/26 in four overs as Lucknow Super Giants beat Chennai Super Kings. But the next game was a different story: he was hit for 54 runs against RR. Even though he did take a wicket in that match, there was no chit celebration this time around.
The build-up: why the player’s emotions came out as a chit
After the LSG match, Akash’s coach Jagsimran Singh spoke to the pacer and described how the emotion had been building for a long time—eventually finding its way onto a chit. Jagsimran said the player had been waiting for his chance for a long stretch, and once the opportunity arrived, the feeling was overwhelming.
Jagsimran Singh explained: “He spoke to me after the match. That was a moment of celebration. He had been waiting for his chance for a long time and when it came, he was emotional. He had been carrying this chit for a long time. Bahut time se apna wait kar raha tha ki mujhe chance milega. Jaise jaise IPL jaata raha, badhta raha, badhta raha usko number nahi mila (He had been waiting for his chance for a long time. As the IPL kept progressing, he was not getting his opportunity). I am sure ab time aa gaya hai iska (I am sure his time has come now).”
Career timeline and the training behind Akash’s rise
Akash Maharaj Singh was part of India’s squad for the 2020 Under-19 Cricket World Cup, a campaign that ended with a final defeat to Bangladesh. He was bought by Rajasthan Royals at the 2020 IPL auction, but he played just one match that season and was released ahead of IPL 2021.
In 2023, he went unsold at the auction before being signed by CSK as an injury replacement for Mukesh Choudhary. The next season, he moved to SRH in 2024. In 2025, LSG brought him in for his base price of Rs 30 lakh. That year, Akash appeared in three matches, took four wickets, and spent much of the time on the bench, carrying drinks for the team.
LSG retained him for the 2026 season, and once the chance finally came, the emotion overflowed after he picked up a wicket in his opening appearance.
Aravali Cricket Academy and a 10-wicket revelation
Akash comes from Aravali Cricket Academy, the same setup that has produced Ashok Sharma—Gujarat Titans’ fast bowler known for regularly clocking speeds above 150 km/h. The academy is in Hathod, roughly 16 km from Jaipur. Akash is senior to Ashok, and the two often discuss bowling and trade knowledge. Akash is recognised for swing, yorkers and cutters, while Ashok has developed a reputation as an out-and-out express fast bowler.
Originally from Bharatpur in Rajasthan, Akash first met coach Jagsimran Singh when he was 15. Since then, he has trained under him. After observing his early potential, Jagsimran and academy director Vikas Yadav decided to hand Akash an opportunity in a match. The left-arm pacer made an immediate impact by taking all 10 wickets in a single innings.
Jagsimran Singh recalled: “Pehli baar 1 trial mein mila tha. Ye 15 saal ka tha. Tab se ye mere paas coaching le raha hai. Uske baad ye 1 match khela Jaipur mein, Jaipur District affiliated tournament ka. Usme isne ek innings mein 10 wicket liye [I first met him during a trial. He was 15 years old. He has been training under me since then. After that, he played a match in Jaipur in a Jaipur District-affiliated tournament. He took 10 wickets in a single innings in that match].”
He added that early impressions suggested Akash was bowling slowly due to physical ability, but the plan was to correct the mechanics: “Jab ye mere paas aaya tha, physical ability se lag raha tha ki ye dheere ball fenk raha tha. Lekin dheere ball fenk raha tha. Iski backfoot landing pe kaam kiya [When he came to me, it felt from his physical ability that he was bowling slowly. But he was bowling slowly). We worked on his backfoot landing].”
Jagsimran also noted Akash’s pace base—he was around 125-130 kph—but said he refined his swing and yorker skills into his main weapons. “He was a 125-130 kph bowler, but he mastered the art of swing and yorker. That is his weapon,” he said.
On daily preparation, Jagsimran described a steady workload: “Practice karta hai around 10 se 15 over ek din mein. Kisi din yorker ke upar kaam karte hain, us din length aur pace ke upar kaam karte hain (He practises around 10 to 15 overs in a day). Some days we work on yorkers, while on other days we focus on length and pace). Aise hi practice karta hai (That is how he practises).”
Ashish Nehra’s coaching influence and the support system
Akash Maharaj Singh’s development has also been shaped by Ashish Nehra, the head coach of Gujarat Titans. Nehra, a former India pacer, has worked extensively with Akash Maharaj Singh—spending long sessions with the left-arm seamer to improve multiple parts of his bowling. The support has included match simulations, guidance on reading a batter’s mindset, refining yorker lengths, and focusing on execution in the death overs.
- Match simulations and batter-reading sessions to sharpen decision-making.
- Fine-tuning yorker length control.
- Death-over execution work to improve impact overs.
Vikas Yadav also highlighted the personal side of the training setup, saying Akash speaks regularly with Nehra and has had to relocate because training in Bharatpur was too far. He added that Akash’s elder brother Lakhan has played a major role by looking after his food, routine and overall care, and stressed Akash’s discipline and timetable.
Vikas Yadav said: “He speaks to Nehra regularly. Nehra guides him a lot. He used to train in Bharatpur, but it was too far, so he had to shift here. His elder brother Lakhan has played a big role in his career. He takes care of his food, daily routine and everything. He has done a lot for Akash. Akash is very disciplined. He has maintained a timetable for everything.”
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