
The Punjab Kings (PBKS) spinner Yuzvendra Chahal has once again been caught in controversy after he was spotted vaping on a flight following the team’s four-wicket defeat to the Gujarat Titans at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
The PBKS squad departed from Ahmedabad for Hyderabad on May 4, for the IPL 2026 clash against the Sunrisers Hyderabad at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, where the two-time IPL finalists lost by 33 runs, registering their third successive defeat of the ongoing IPL season.
Arshdeep Singh recorded a vlog for his official YouTube channel, capturing behind-the-scenes moments of the team’s flight journey from Ahmedabad to Hyderabad, and engaged in lighthearted conversations with teammates.
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As Arshdeep Singh was recording the PBKS squad’s flight journey, veteran Indian spinner Yuzvendra Chahal was inadvertently caught off-guard vaping on camera, which quickly went viral on social media, especially X (formerly Twitter).
In a clip from Arshdeep’s vlog, Chahal, who was seen sitting right next to Shashank Singh, was spotted sneakily using an electronic e-cigarette during the flight journey from Ahmedabad to Hyderabad. Chahal was seemingly unaware of the camera capturing his actions, as the video shows him casually puffing while other teammates chatted and laughed around him.
Yuzvendra Chahal has appeared to have violated the rule of no smoking or vaping on flights, which is strictly prohibited under airline safety regulations.
This was the second instance of Yuzvendra Chahal being caught for his off-field behavior, following a previous incident where he was reportedly seen smoking in a car during a private outing with his friend in Chandigarh.
Recently, Yuzvendra Chahal revealed on AB de Villiers’ YouTube channel that he quit drinking in order to extend his career and prioritize his physical fitness. He shared that the decision was a personal commitment to maintaining peak performance levels as a senior athlete.
This was the second instance of a player being caught for vaping amid the IPL 2026. Earlier, the Rajasthan Royals skipper Riyan Parag was spotted using an e-cigarette inside the dressing room during the IPL 2026 clash against the Punjab Kings in Mullanpur and was later fined 25% of his match fee for violating the Players and Match Officials Area (PMOA) protocols.
In Yuzvendra Chahal’s case, the situation is complicated by the fact that the incident occurred on a commercial flight rather than within a stadium or dressing room. However, since Chahal was travelling with the squad in an official capacity as a player, the board may still take disciplinary action for bringing disrepute to the game.
Additionally, the DGCA could launch its investigation into the matter, though the incident took place hours after the match had concluded and away from the stadium premises, as vaping on a commercial flight is strictly prohibited and is considered a direct violation of the safety rules.
If found guilty of breaching these regulations, Chahal could face a temporary flying ban or further legal penalties, adding to the potential disciplinary measures from the BCCI. Meanwhile, the Punjab Kings haven’t released an official statement regarding the matter.
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