The controversy surrounding Arshdeep Singh and his viral remark directed at Tilak Varma has taken another interesting turn, with Mumbai Indians now appearing to respond in their own style on social media. Arshdeep recently sparked debate online after a clip surfaced in which he jokingly referred to Tilak as “Andhera” during a conversation.
The Punjab Kings pacer was heard saying, “Oye Andhere, sunscreen lagaaya?” — a comment that quickly divided opinion among cricket fans and social media users. While several viewers treated the exchange as harmless dressing-room banter, others criticised the remark, interpreting it as insensitive because of its reference to skin tone.
The issue gained further attention after former India spinner Laxman Sivaramakrishnan publicly demanded strict action against Arshdeep and even called for him to be banned for the remainder of IPL 2026.
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Amid the ongoing discussion, the Mumbai Indians added a Bollywood touch to the situation following Tilak’s match-winning performance against the Punjab Kings on Thursday night. MI shared a video of Tilak posing with his trophies after the game, but what caught fans’ attention most was the background music choice — the popular Bollywood track Channa Mereya from Ae Dil Hai Mushkil.
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The post quickly went viral, with many fans linking it to the ongoing Arshdeep controversy and praising the Mumbai Indians’ subtle social media response.
Tilak, however, let his bat do the talking on the field. The stylish left-hander smashed an unbeaten 75 off just 33 balls, hitting six fours and six sixes to guide Mumbai Indians to a thrilling chase of 201 with one ball remaining. His explosive knock earned him the Player of the Match award and further strengthened his reputation as one of India’s brightest young T20 talents.
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The 23-year-old has now scored 336 runs in 12 innings during IPL 2026, including one century and two half-centuries. His impressive performances have also been rewarded with leadership responsibility, as he is set to captain an India A one-day squad during a tri-series in Sri Lanka next month.
