Published on: May 7, 2026 5:28 pm IST|Updated on: May 7, 2026 5:29 pm IST
The Indian Premier League (IPL) has always been a magnet for drama, and it seems like professional players are keen on slandering the IPL’s integrity. Just as the dust was beginning to settle on the Riyan Parag vaping incident, Punjab Kings’ veteran spinner Yuzvendra Chahal was also caught vaping inside a flight while traveling with the squad to Hyderabad for their clash against the Sunrisers Hyderabad on May 6.
In the clip, which has gone viral on social media, Chahal was seen inhaling something and then exhaling the smoke out of it, while Shashank Singh was watching the same, sitting next to the veteran leg spinner. The footage surfaced from one of Arshdeep Singh’s behind-the-scenes vlogs, which he shoots regularly and posts on his social media and YouTube account.
To understand the gravity of the Chahal rumors, one must look back at the incident that set the precedent. Earlier in the season, Rajasthan Royals’ skipper Riyan Parag was embroiled in a significant disciplinary row. During a match against the Punjab Kings in New Chandigarh, broadcast cameras briefly panned to the RR dressing room in the 16th over of the second innings. What they captured was something beyond imagination, as Parag was seen holding a device that looked suspiciously like an e-cigarette.
The footage went viral within minutes, leading to a swift and stern response from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). Parag was reportedly fined 25% of his match fee and handed a demerit point for his conduct. The incident sparked a massive debate about the professional standards of modern cricketers, that too inside the dressing room. It was against this backdrop of heightened scrutiny that the Chahal video surfaced.
In the viral video, Chahal appears to hide something in his hand, mimic a vaping motion, and then cough, followed by a small puff of “smoke” or mist visible in the frame. However, the “truth” might be far less scandalous than the internet initially assumed. While social media was quick to draw parallels to the Parag incident, several eagle-eyed fans pointed out that Chahal was likely holding a small facial mist spray or a portable humidifier, a common accessory for athletes dealing with the dry air of airplane cabins.
The puff of “smoke” seen in the video lacks the thickness and density of typical vape clouds and closely resembles the fine water vapor emitted by these cosmetic devices. Furthermore, Chahal’s playful demeanor and the subsequent “fake cough” suggest that the spinner was pulling a deliberate prank, taking a subtle dig at the ongoing Riyan Parag controversy by mocking the hysteria surrounding it.
Adding fuel to the fire is the fact that Arshdeep Singh’s original vlog was reportedly taken down and re-uploaded with the specific segment featuring Chahal removed. This move has been interpreted in two ways: either the Punjab Kings management wanted to avoid unnecessary negative PR during a high-stakes season, or they realized that the prank, while humorous in person, could be easily misinterpreted by a sensitive digital audience.
Despite the lack of an official statement from Chahal or the PBKS camp, the timing of the video is particularly interesting. Just weeks before the IPL 2026 season, Chahal appeared on AB de Villiers’ YouTube channel, where he discussed adopting a “stricter lifestyle.” He revealed that he had given up alcohol for over six months to manage his fitness and longevity in the game at age 35. For a player focused on such a health-conscious turnaround, a public vaping incident would be a major setback to his reformed image.
Tags: IPL 2026