Punjab Kings’ (PBKS) IPL campaign was heavily scrutinized for off-field distractions and inconsistent on-field execution, ending with six consecutive defeats that knocked them out of the playoff hunt. Amid these struggles, premier left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh found himself at the epicenter of several social media controversies.
Now, opening up about the internal dynamics of the team, Arshdeep has detailed an explicit instance where captain Shreyas Iyer had to sternly pull him up for a lack of focus and unprofessional conduct during a live match.
Boundary-Line Distraction
Speaking candidly on a podcast hosted by Harleen Deol, Arshdeep recounted an incident where his efforts to engage the crowd crossed the line into a lack of match awareness. Stationed near the ropes, the speedster began dancing and entertaining spectators rather than keeping his eyes locked on the unfolding game.
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🔴 SHREYAS IYER WAS UNHAPPY WITH MY BOUNDARY-LINE ENTERTAINMENT – ARSHDEEP SINGH 🤯
🎙️: While I was fielding on the boundary and entertaining the crowd, Shreyas Iyer suddenly called out, ‘Arsh, what are you doing there?’ and asked me to come bowl. I usually bowl the 1st, 2nd,… pic.twitter.com/iS2bcGE7O9
— Sam (@cricsam02) June 6, 2026
The lapse in concentration did not sit well with Iyer, who immediately intervened. Recalling the blunt confrontation, Arshdeep shared: “I was fielding on the boundary and trying to entertain the crowd, when Shreyas Iyer suddenly shouted out, ‘Arsh, what are you doing there?’ He was visibly angry and immediately ordered me to come and bowl.”
Tactical Punishment
To hammer home the lesson, Iyer disrupted Arshdeep’s standard operating rhythm. As a frontline bowler, Arshdeep is typically utilized in the opening powerplay overs and then reserved to execute his lethal yorkers at the death in the 17th and 20th overs.
Instead, Iyer threw him the ball in the 11th over – a move that completely caught the pacer off guard. Following the over, the skipper pulled Arshdeep aside for a serious talk, instructing him to keep his head in the game, monitor the match situation continuously, and eliminate unnecessary distractions.
Reality of High-Level Cricket
Reflecting on the scolding, Arshdeep acknowledged that player behavior is always judged through the lens of performance. “If you bowl a good over, everything is fine. But if you don’t execute, you are going to get reprimanded,” Arshdeep admitted. “When things go wrong, everyone will immediately point fingers at your focus and commitment.”
