Former Chennai Super Kings batter S Badrinath found himself at the centre of a fresh wave of online criticism after a remark made during commentary in the IPL 2026 fixture between Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Mumbai Indians on Sunday. The match had drama beyond the scoreboard, with Krunal Pandya producing a standout batting effort for RCB before cramps forced him to stop and seek attention on the field.
Quick facts
- Event: IPL 2026 match between Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Mumbai Indians on Sunday
- Incident: Krunal Pandya suffered cramps during his innings and went down in visible pain
- Moment highlighted: Mumbai Indians wicketkeeper Ryan Rickelton rushed to help Krunal
- Controversy: Badrinath made a joking comment during commentary about “letting him die in cramps”
- Response: Badrinath later clarified on social media that he was referring to Rickelton’s gesture and cited “colloquial Tamil”
- Match result: RCB won by 2 wickets in a last-ball thriller
Krunal, who looked in brilliant touch, struck 73 off 46 deliveries and struck four fours and five maximums as RCB chased down a demanding total of 167. Raipur’s conditions proved tricky, but his composure stayed intact even as the cramps intensified during his knock.
As Krunal lay on the ground and received assistance, Rickelton moved in to help the RCB batter. Badrinath, while speaking on air, responded with a joke that praised Rickelton’s attitude—yet the line he used about how the opposition “could have” reacted drew sharp backlash from parts of social media.
The criticism centred on the language Badrinath chose to use while commentating during an IPL match. Many users questioned whether such wording had any place in a live broadcast, especially given the seriousness of cramps and the visible discomfort Krunal was experiencing.
Badrinath’s clarification
After the backlash, Badrinath turned to social media to explain what he intended. He insisted his focus was only on highlighting the “great gesture” shown by Rickelton, adding that he believed the remark may have been misunderstood.
He also pointed to the fact that his words were drawn from “colloquial Tamil,” suggesting that translation and audience interpretation may have altered how the comment landed. Badrinath said he was not endorsing any harsh attitude towards an opponent and that his intention was to acknowledge Rickelton’s sportsmanlike action.
In his post, he referred to the exact idea he had said on air—stating that the message was not meant to reflect his personal stance, but rather to comment on the help given to Krunal. He added that fair play recognition should go to Rickelton and Mumbai Indians for stepping in promptly.
Alongside the clarification, Badrinath emphasised that viewers who did not understand the colloquial form of Tamil could have taken the line in the wrong way. The former India batter’s message was clear: the gesture from the wicketkeeper deserved credit, and his remark was tied to that moment.
On the field, the narrative around Krunal’s innings remained the defining story of RCB’s chase. Despite being in significant pain from cramps, he carried RCB through a tense run chase at a spicy Raipur pitch, helping set up a finish that swung down to the final over.
When the match reached its climax, Royal Challengers Bengaluru completed the chase successfully, securing victory by 2 wickets in a last-ball thriller against Mumbai Indians. Krunal’s grit, coupled with the late pressure handling, ensured the match outcome stayed dramatic all the way to the end—while the post-match attention also shifted to Badrinath’s on-air wording.
