Sunil Gavaskar delivered a sharp criticism of Lucknow Super Giants pacer Akash Singh after the left-arm quick endured a torrid outing in LSG’s seven-wicket defeat to Rajasthan Royals in IPL 2026 at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur. Akash, who had impressed against Chennai Super Kings just days earlier, struggled badly against RR’s explosive batting line-up, conceding 54 runs in just three overs while managing only one wicket.

The disappointing spell came as a stark contrast to Akash’s memorable performance against CSK, where he returned impressive figures of 3/26 in his first appearance of the season. That spell had grabbed headlines not only for the wickets but also for his now-viral celebration. After dismissing batters, Akash pulled out a note from his pocket carrying the message: “#Akkionfire – Akash knows how to take wickets in a T20 game.”

The celebration immediately sparked reactions across social media, especially because the performance came against his former franchise, the Chennai Super Kings. However, Akash later clarified that the note was not aimed at anyone personally and was simply a fun moment.

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But after Rajasthan Royals batters dismantled him in Jaipur, Gavaskar could not resist taking a dig during commentary. The legendary former India captain questioned the usefulness of such celebrations when performances fail to back them up consistently.

“I am asking, where’s the chit now? Chit is in the pocket, right? You get six balls in an over and maybe take a wicket with one ball, but the other five are disappearing for boundaries. He has given 48 runs in 17 deliveries,” Sunil Gavaskar remarked on-air.

The trend of “note celebrations” has become increasingly popular in IPL 2026. Sunrisers Hyderabad opener Abhishek Sharma first grabbed attention with his message dedicated to the “Orange Army” after his century celebration. Since then, players like CSK’s Urvil Patel and Mumbai Indians pacer Raghu Sharma have followed the trend.

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However, several former cricketers have openly criticised the style of celebration. Dale Steyn mocked the trend on social media, while Ambati Rayudu called it “absolute nonsense” and joked that such “chits” should be banned, comparing them to bringing notes into an examination hall.