Yuzvendra Chahal has become the centre of a fresh IPL 2026 controversy after a viral clip circulating on social media appeared to show the Punjab Kings spinner vaping during a team flight to Hyderabad. The footage, reportedly taken from one of Arshdeep Singh’s travel vlogs, quickly triggered widespread discussion online as users debated whether Chahal was using a vape device onboard or performing a prank aimed at the recent vaping controversy involving Rajasthan Royals captain Riyan Parag.
Chahal knows only 2 things Vaping and Fapping pic.twitter.com/n146nifnBo
— Sunil The Cricketer (@1sInto2s) May 7, 2026
The clip showed Chahal seated beside teammate Shashank Singh during Punjab Kings’ journey ahead of their clash against Sunrisers Hyderabad. Social media users claimed the spinner attempted to conceal an object in his hand before exhaling visible smoke and coughing moments later, although several viewers later argued the object may have been a spray or mist device rather than a vape.
The moment spread rapidly across multiple platforms after users alleged the original version of Arshdeep Singh’s vlog was later edited to remove the sequence involving Chahal. A shorter version currently circulating online has continued to fuel speculation, although neither the player nor Punjab Kings have issued an official statement regarding the incident.
Online debate intensifies after viral footage
The controversy arrives during an IPL season already marked by repeated scrutiny surrounding player behaviour off the field. Questions were also raised online over whether a vape device had been carried onboard the aircraft, while others suggested the incident may have been intended as a tongue-in-cheek reference to the earlier Riyan Parag episode.
Chahal had previously faced online criticism earlier in the season after another viral clip allegedly showed him smoking while driving a luxury vehicle, although the authenticity of that footage was never independently verified.
The latest incident has also drawn attention because of Chahal’s recent comments about lifestyle changes ahead of IPL 2026, as previously reported by cricexec. Speaking on AB de Villiers’ YouTube channel earlier this season, the spinner said he had stopped consuming alcohol more than six months ago as part of efforts to improve fitness and manage injuries.
Riyan Parag controversy returned to spotlight
The viral Chahal clip has also revived discussion around the controversy involving Rajasthan Royals captain Riyan Parag, who was previously filmed vaping inside an IPL dressing room during Rajasthan Royals’ match against Punjab Kings, as reported previously by cricexec.
Parag was fined 25 percent of his match fee and handed one demerit point for breaching the BCCI Code of Conduct, as previously reported by cricexec.
Former India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin later criticised the incident while discussing player responsibility in public spaces.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Ashwin said: “I think this is totally a situation that could have been avoided. I want players not to get trapped in such things. I don’t really want that for a young player, and this is a little sensitive, too. I think, on all quadrants, if we look at so many things, this could have been avoided.”
With the Chahal footage continuing to circulate widely online, the latest controversy has added another off-field distraction to an IPL season already dominated by viral incidents and growing scrutiny around player conduct in public settings.
