The Punjab Kings star bowler, Yuzvendra Chahal, was seen smoking a cigarette while he was in his car, in a viral video that was circulated across social media platforms. He was seen to be smoking a cigarette while driving his Porsche, and he threw the cigarette out of the window as well. The viewers criticised him for his display of poor civic sense, as such behaviour is unexpected from professional athletes like Chahal.
No reaction or response has emerged from Yuzvendra Chahal or his representatives regarding the video, amidst all the negativity that is being diverted to the cricketer. Chahal had earlier mentioned in an interview with AB de Villiers that he gave up alcohol and is prioritising his cricketing career, as he is already aged 35 and is hoping to give his best for the team.
While driving on the highway, Yuzi Chahal threw a cigarette onto the road. Even cricketers have zero civic sense. pic.twitter.com/JuWwJyCrmQ
— Aditya (@Warlock_Aditya) April 10, 2026
Strong performances with PBKS overshadowed by off-field controversy and backlash
Yuzvendra Chahal was picked by the Punjab Kings in the 2025 IPL Auction for an amount of INR 18 Crore. It was considered to be a huge amount for the veteran, but the Kings backed the leggie to have a sensational outing for the side. Chahal seemed to be a bit expensive initially, as even though he was able to get rid of some key batters, he was leaking way too many runs. The spin duo of Ravichandran Ashwin and Yuzvendra Chahal was highly rated at the Rajasthan Royals, and the Punjab Kings expected Chahal to continue the same kind of form for the Punjab Kings as well.
The huge turnaround in Chahal’s career at Punjab Kings came in the match against the Kolkata Knight Riders, when the Punjab Kings were bowled out for 111, and KKR required just 112 to win the match. Yuzvendra Chahal managed to get 4 wickets in his spell, dismantling the KKR batting unit, and PBKS went on to win the match by 16 runs. Yuzvendra Chahal picked up 16 wickets from 14 innings at an economy rate of 9.
In the 2026 IPL season, Yuzvendra Chahal has been off to a fine start in the season as he has bowled some really good spells. Chahal picked up 2 wickets against the Gujarat Titans and gave away just 28 runs. Against the Chennai Super Kings as well, he gave away just 12 runs and picked up a wicket as well. He is turning out to be a brilliant bowler for the Punjab Kings despite having no spinner to accompany him in their bowling unit.
This viral incident could negatively affect the mind of the player, as he has attracted criticism from many of the fans, which could badly affect his reputation as well. He has been in good mindspace, performing well for his franchise, but this incident could turn things around. Yuzvendra Chahal will be expected to issue a public apology, as staying silent on the incident would just result in more hate coming towards the ex-India star.
