'Disgusting, no civic sense': Chahal under fire over alleged ‘Littering and Smoking’ video

Indian leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal has found himself at the centre of a social media storm following the emergence of a viral video allegedly showing him smoking and littering while driving. The veteran bowler, currently representing Punjab Kings in the 2026 Indian Premier League, has drawn sharp criticism for a perceived lack of "civic sense."

The footage, captured by a fellow commuter, appears to show the 35-year-old behind the wheel with an unidentified passenger. In the clip, Chahal is seen taking a puff of a cigarette before casually discarding the butt onto the road and accelerating away. While the exact timing of the recording remains unverified, the backlash on X was immediate and unforgiving.

Netizens were quick to contrast the act with Chahal's status as a public figure. One user wrote:
“Meet Yuzvendra Chahal, caught smoking a cigarette and carelessly throwing it onto the road. All that money and still no class, no civic sense. Disgusting.”

The sentiment was echoed by others who questioned the influence of celebrities on public discipline.
“These are the so called celebs, and we expect the public to have civic sense? this country’s not fixing itself anytime soon,” another added.

Further comments took a more personal swipe at his professional career, with one user stating:
“NO WONDER HE WAS THROWN OUT OF TEAM,.....NO DISCIPLINE AND CIVIC SENSE.”

Another critic noted that while personal habits are private, the consequences of such acts was the real issue:
“Smoking is one thing, but throwing a cigarette butt on the road is absolutely unacceptable.”

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The controversy comes just weeks after Chahal earned praise for an interview with former teammate AB de Villiers, in which he announced he had quit alcohol to prioritise his physical fitness. "I want to be more active, and I want to give 150 per cent for my team," the IPL’s all-time leading wicket-taker had stated.

Punjab Kings are scheduled to face Sunrisers Hyderabad in Mullanpur this Saturday. Whether this off-field distraction affects the veteran's performance remains to be seen. (With inputs from Agencies)