Punjab Kings spinner Yuzvendra Chahal was caught up in a massive controversy when a viral clip featured him vaping on a flight. This immediately drew the attention of the authorities and the fans.
The Punjab Kings picked Yuzvendra Chahal for a whopping INR 18 crore, the most to be paid to any spinner in the history of the IPL. He was largely backed for his outstanding ability to make an impact on any kind of pitches throughout the subcontinent.
Chahal, the highest wicket-taking bowler in the history of the IPL, has picked 24 wickets across 24 matches for the Punjab Kings, which is far from his very best; however, the recent bit of criticism has been more around his off-field actions than his inability on the field.
Yuzvendra Chahal’s viral video spread like wildfire over the internet
Yuzvendra Chahal has, anyway, lacked form this season of the IPL; however, the empty wickets tally for the spinner is not much to blame him for. However, Chahal’s conduct in recent years has come under the scanner, and his off-field actions have repeatedly been questioned.
From claims of infidelity to violating laws on an aeroplane, Chahal has found himself at the centre of many controversies. After the SRH vs PBKS game, a video went viral, which caught Yuzi Chahal using a vape on a flight.
It immediately caught the attention of the internet, and the viral video has been questioned on many grounds. The security checks were under the scanner, while Chahal’s intent to violate the laws was also criticised by fans as well as critics on social media.
“Yuzi smokes, but he has never vaped.”: Striking claim of AI-generated surf amid controversy surrounding Yuzvendra Chahal
Guys..the vaping video.of #YuzvendraChahal in a @PunjabKingsIPL ✈️ doing the rounds in AI-generated..”Yuzi smokes, but he has never vaped in his life,” a source tracking developments told me!
— Gaurav Gupta (@toi_gauravG) May 8, 2026
Though the video went viral, no official word has come from either Yuzvendra Chahal or the Punjab Kings‘ end. The authenticity of the video would also be a massive question, which still remains officially unanswered.
However, as per TOI journalist Gaurav Gupta, the video that showed Chahal vaping inside the flight is AI-generated. As per his sources, “Yuzi smokes, but he has never vaped in his life.”
However, an official statement from the player, his team, or even the flight management is yet to be delivered. Fans have been split between believing the word over that video is AI-generated or not.
Chahal’s misfortunes continue amid a poor IPL season.
Keeping aside these controversies, Chahal has also had a bucketful of misfortune in this ongoing season of the IPL. With only eight wickets in ten matches, this is one of the worst seasons for Chahal in almost a decade.
However, his economy truly reflects that Chahal has been promising with his variety and is tough to read. While the rest of the players have gone for 12 or 13 runs an over, Chahal has maintained the economy well within the limit of 9.5.
He has also created multiple opportunities for his team, but out of the 16 times, the Punjab Kings have squandered eight of those chances. This remains a major concern for the Kings and the expert spinner.
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