Punjab Kings seamer Arshdeep Singh’s season in the Indian Premier League has been a controversy-filled one. From inconsistent on-field performances to off-field antics, Arshdeep has found himself at the centre of attention during Punjab’s dramatic dip in form in the second half of the season.
Matters went from bad to worse for the left-arm pacer in Punjab’s final league-stage game against Lucknow Super Giants, where Arshdeep sprayed the ball around and ended up conceding 52 runs in just three overs. While bowlers conceding 50-plus runs in a T20 game is not unheard of, doing so on a tricky Ekana Stadium surface came as a major surprise.
Arshdeep struggled in every spell that he bowled on Saturday. He first leaked 16 runs in the opening over against Josh Inglis, who immediately put the bowler under pressure with aggressive strokeplay.
The Australian batter later targeted him once again in the 12th over of the innings, smashing 19 runs and completely throwing Arshdeep off his lengths.
Punjab captain Shreyas Iyer still backed his premier fast bowler at the death and handed him the final over of the innings, hoping Arshdeep would be able to control uncapped batters Abdul Samad and Arjun Tendulkar. Instead, the over went for another 17 runs, capping off a miserable outing for the India international.
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Fans were quick to vent their frustration at the left-arm seamer, calling him out for a string of underwhelming performances in the IPL this season.
What has perhaps worsened the backlash against Arshdeep has been his behaviour off the field, which has not sat well with a section of fans online.
Comments made by the fast bowler involving Tilak Varma earlier in the season and his playful interactions with teammate Priyansh Arya had already triggered criticism on social media. With performances dipping alongside those incidents, the scrutiny around the pacer has only intensified.
“Harshit Rana was always the better T20I bowler than wide specialist Arshdeep Singh,” one user wrote on X after the final over against LSG.
The 52 runs that Arshdeep conceded in this game also took his tally past the 500-run mark this season. Arshdeep has now bowled in 14 matches and conceded 541 runs in IPL 2026. This is the third consecutive season in which Arshdeep has leaked more than 500 runs, making him the first bowler in IPL history to concede 500-plus runs in three successive seasons.
While some criticised his on-field performances, others questioned Arshdeep’s professionalism and focus during a difficult phase of the season, as Punjab Kings somehow managed to keep themselves alive in the playoffs race despite his shaky bowling display. The fast bowler was perhaps the only major blot in Punjab’s performance against LSG on Saturday and will hope to bounce back strongly if the franchise manages to qualify for the playoffs this season.
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Source: India Today
