Slapgate 2.0 - Why did Kuldeep Yadav slap Rinku Singh?

Just when you thought IPL 2025 couldn’t serve up more drama, along came Slapgate Reloaded. After Kolkata Knight Riders outclassed Delhi Capitals, a peculiar moment grabbed the spotlight. Cameras caught Kuldeep Yadav seemingly “slapping” Rinku Singh during the post-match celebrations, and the internet, as expected, spiraled into chaos.

To make things spicier, Rinku’s dramatically innocent face in the aftermath added fuel to the meme fire. His expression screamed “bhai ne maar diya,” and social media lapped it up. Within minutes, the screenshots were everywhere—Instagram reels, Twitter threads, and even YouTube thumbnails with shocking red arrows.

But let’s pump the brakes for a second. This isn’t 2008, and Kuldeep Yadav isn’t Harbhajan Singh. What happened was far from scandalous. It was just good-natured teasing between two teammates who go way back.

Kuldeep and Rinku both hail from Uttar Pradesh and have played together across formats for years. Kuldeep, the senior and UP team captain, was simply having some fun with the younger star. No harm intended, no egos bruised. Just a friendly post-match ribbing that looked way more intense in freeze frame than it was in reality.

Of course, the internet did what it does best—overreact. “Is this acceptable behavior?”, “Should there be consequences?” Seriously? This is the IPL, not a courtroom debate.
For those still clutching their pearls, relax. Rinku’s fine, Kuldeep’s still smiling, and the only real “slap” that night was delivered to Delhi Capitals' playoff hopes.

On the field, Rinku was stellar—smashing a quick 36 off 25 balls to anchor KKR to 204/9. Kuldeep, on the other hand, had an off day, going wicketless in his three overs and conceding 27 runs.
Delhi looked in control during the chase before a sudden collapse saw them fall short, continuing their inconsistent season. But thanks to one playful moment between friends, Slapgate 2.0 became the night’s biggest headline—and perhaps, its funniest one too.