Arshdeep Singh Body Shaming Teammate Priyansh Arya Publicly Doesn’t Sit Well With Fans

Previously, Arshdeep Singh had engaged in a banter with a fan on social media, dismissing a suggestion to drop 'Punjab' from PBKS' name.


Arshdeep Singh Body Shaming Teammate Priyansh Arya Publicly Doesn’t Sit Well With Fans

Arshdeep Singh allegedly 'bullied' PBKS teammate Priyansh Arya, on the team bus. (via NDTV Sports)

In Short
  • Arshdeep Singh faces backlash for allegedly body shaming teammate Priyansh Arya in a viral Snapchat clip.
  • Fans criticize Singh for his insensitive remarks and suggest they contribute to Punjab Kings' recent performance slump.
  • This incident follows previous controversies involving Singh, including a racist comment about teammate Tilak Varma's complexion.

Punjab Kings pacer Arshdeep Singh has caused a social media controversy due to his off-field conduct with teammate Priyansh Arya during the ongoing IPL season. Fans have criticized his actions, describing Singh’s banter with Arya as ‘body shaming’ and ‘bullying’.

PBKS have not had the 2026 IPL season they would have expected. They started remarkably, winning six of their seven opening games, putting them at the top of the table halfway through the season. However, a dramatic downturn began after their April 28 match against the Rajasthan Royals, as the team went on to lose six consecutive games. Consequently, PBKS is now in fifth place with 13 points from 13 matches and is currently fighting for a playoff spot.

A key reason behind PBKS’s mid-season slump has been Arshdeep Singh’s inconsistent performances. Although the 27-year-old leads with 14 wickets this season, his bowling has been expensive, marked by a below-par economy rate of 9.78 and a noticeable difficulty in limiting extras.

It has coincided with an off-field social media controversy, which the fast bowler now finds himself in. A video from inside the PBKS team bus has gone viral on social media; it was initially uploaded to Singh’s Snapchat story. 

The clip showed PBKS batter Priyansh Arya sitting next to spinner Harpreet Brar at the back of the bus, while the team was on its way to Lucknow. While Arshdeep Singh was not visible on screen, his voice was easily recognizable from behind the camera.

The 27-year-old teased Arya by aggressively demanding that he smile in front of the camera and display his ‘teeth’. He further mocked the Delhi-native batter’s looks and reserved nature by using terms like ‘cutie’.

What a cutie, man! Show me your smile. Show me your teeth.

Fans others have criticized the pace bowler for ‘bullying’ a junior player and for targeting his physical insecurities. Priyansh Arya appeared uncomfortable with the banter and even looked away from the camera. The incident with Arya is not an isolated one, as Arshdeep Singh had faced major public criticism just a week prior for a racist comment concerning the complexion of his India teammate, Tilak Varma.

Singh’s notable increase in social media engagement has annoyed many. Despite the controversies, the key question remains whether PBKS can secure a playoff spot with a win in their final match against Lucknow Super Giants.

Arshdeep Singh faces backlash as viral clip shows pacer teasing Priyansh Arya’s 

PBKS pacer Arshdeep Singh, who is also a two-time T20 World Cup winner with India, has faced criticism from fans over his allegedly ‘bullying’ Priyansh Arya. He has been slammed for mocking the youngster’s teeth, with fans suggesting that his remarks were unacceptable.

Arshdeep Singh controversy fans
Arshdeep Singh was slammed by fans for teasing Priyansh Arya. (via X)

Singh is not new to social media controversies. Earlier during the season, he had mocked MI batter Tilak Varma by referring to him as ‘andhere’, which translates to ‘darkness’, alluding to Varma’s complexion. He also appeared to mock his own PBKS teammate, Shashank Singh, on camera for dropped catches during the season, with many finding his increased reel-making habits unacceptable.

Most recently, he made ‘insensitive’ remarks about Arya’s teeth, specifically mocking the gaps in between. Fans were quick to point out that the left-handed batter ignored Singh’s remarks, while others suggested that the 27-year-old pacer is the reason behind Punjab Kings’ recent ‘downfall’. The controversy escalated as one fan urged the BCCI to look into the matter and end Singh’s vlogging for the team’s benefit.

Instances of body shaming and casual bullying have become a pervasive issue in both the IPL and Indian cricket. Previously, former Indian cricketer Virender Sehwag mocked players like Yuzvendra Chahal and R Ashwin based on their physical appearance.

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