With the Punjab Kings crashing out of the IPL 2026 campaign, India’s premier left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh has found himself under an intense public spotlight—not for his on-field performance, but for some highly dramatic activity on his social media.

Late on the night of May 25, 2026, Arshdeep executed a massive sweep of his official Instagram account, deleting over 200 posts in one go and abruptly changing his display picture (DP). The sudden digital erasure has caught fans entirely off guard, leaving the cricketing community scrambling for answers.

The Big Purge: Viral 150M-View Virat Kohli Reel Deleted

Arshdeep’s Instagram account, which previously boasted a massive catalog of memories, has been ruthlessly trimmed down to just 40 remaining posts.

Among the most shocking casualties of this digital cleanup are:

• The Virat Kohli Mega-Viral Reel: Arshdeep completely deleted a historic reel featuring himself and Virat Kohli filmed during India’s Champions Trophy 2025 campaign. The video was a massive hit, boasting over 150 million views before being wiped out.

• Punjab Kings Memories: A significant portion of his franchise-related content, including behind-the-scenes team videos and victory celebrations, has been permanently removed, though a select few PBKS posts inexplicably remain.

Arshdeep has maintained absolute radio silence regarding the purge, fueling intense online speculation over whether this is a deeply personal reset or a calculated professional rebranding strategy.

Enduring a Storm of Social Media Backlash

The dramatic Instagram cleanup follows weeks of heavy scrutiny and relentless trolling directed at the speedster.

Earlier this month, Arshdeep found himself at the center of a massive controversy after a casual video featuring Mumbai Indians batsman Tilak Varma went viral. In the clip, Arshdeep was heard jokingly asking, "This dark fellow, will you wear sunscreen?"

The comment instantly triggered a fierce backlash online. Legendary former Indian spinner Laxman Sivaramakrishnan publicly condemned the remark, calling it colorist and demanding a strict suspension from the IPL. The intense public trial is heavily rumored to be the catalyst behind Arshdeep's decision to pull the plug on his digital presence.

A Tough Season in the Dirt: IPL 2026 Statistics

Compounding the off-field drama was an incredibly bruising season on the pitch for the Punjab Kings spearhead. Arshdeep struggled heavily with his lines and lengths in the death overs, leading to one of his most expensive tournament campaigns to date.

The Statistical Irony: To put his tough season into perspective, Arshdeep was so expensive with the ball that he actually leaked more runs (541) than the total runs accumulated by Punjab Kings' leading batsman of the season, Prabhsimran Singh.

The Bottom Line: Between a highly criticized viral controversy, a punishing economy rate over 10, and a disappointing team exit, Arshdeep Singh has clearly had a mentally taxing month. Deleting his viral reels and retreating into anonymity might just be a much-needed mental health break for the young bowler as he steps away from the toxic online ecosystem to recalibrate for international duty.