Ahead of the T20 World Cup 2026, the Indian team delivered a commanding performance in a warm-up match, registering a comfortable victory. However, an incident from the dressing room after the match has drawn unexpected attention on social media.

Following the India–South Africa warm-up fixture in Navi Mumbai, a video surfaced online showing young batter Tilak Varma appearing visibly annoyed with fast bowler Arshdeep Singh. The clip quickly went viral, triggering widespread discussion among fans.

What happened in the dressing room

Tilak Varma, making his return after recovering from injury, impressed with a rapid 45 off just 19 balls, including three fours and three sixes. After the match, Tilak was seen chatting with Arshdeep Singh and Ishan Kishan in a relaxed dressing-room setting.

In the video, Tilak is seen eating when Arshdeep begins recording him on his mobile phone, seemingly to make a short reel. Arshdeep jokingly remarks that Tilak “looks bad” on camera. The comment appeared to upset Tilak, who responded in a serious tone and asked Arshdeep to stop recording, gesturing towards the phone to express his displeasure.

Fans divided over the incident

The brief exchange sparked mixed reactions online. While some fans speculated about tension within the squad, many others dismissed the moment as light-hearted banter between close teammates. Tilak Varma, Arshdeep Singh and Ishan Kishan are known to share a good rapport, and Arshdeep’s past social media content and vlogs have frequently featured humorous interactions with Tilak.

Most observers believe the incident was a harmless prank rather than a serious disagreement.

India gear up to defend their title

The T20 World Cup 2026 gets underway on February 7, with India set to begin their title defence against the United States. The team will also face Namibia, Pakistan and the Netherlands in the group stage, aiming to continue their strong form heading into the tournament proper.