IPL 2025: Harbhajan Singh under fire for alleged racist remark on Jofra Archer

Former Indian spinner Harbhajan Singh is facing backlash for allegedly making a racist remark about England fast bowler Jofra Archer during an IPL 2025 match.

The incident occurred while Harbhajan was commentating on the Hindi broadcast of Star Sports during a match between Sunrisers Hyderabad and Rajasthan Royals on March 23.

While discussing Archer’s performance, Harbhajan reportedly said, “London me kaali taxi ka meter tez bhaagta hai, aur yaha pe Archer sahab ka meter bhi tez bhaaga hai” (In London, the meter of a black taxi runs fast, and here, Mr. Archer's meter has also run fast), comparing the pacer’s speed to the fast meters of London’s black taxis.

The comment quickly sparked outrage on social media, with many fans demanding an apology and urging the IPL to take disciplinary action. 

One user on X (formerly Twitter) wrote, “Harbhajan Singh just called Jofra Archer a black taxi driver with a high meter value. This is vile and disgusting.”

Another user condemned the remark, posting, “Shame, shame, shame.” Others criticized Harbhajan for his choice of words, with one questioning, “Does Harbhajan consider himself a white man? Very strange. Very sad.”

Harbhajan, who has previously faced criticism for racially insensitive remarks, has yet to comment on the controversy. 

Meanwhile, social media users are calling on Star Sports, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), and the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) to investigate the matter. 

Some have also demanded that Harbhajan be removed from his commentary duties for the remainder of the IPL season.

On the field, Sunrisers Hyderabad defeated Rajasthan Royals by 44 runs. Ishan Kishan’s century propelled SRH to a total of 286—the second-highest in IPL history. 

Rajasthan Royals, in response, managed 242, with Archer enduring a difficult outing, conceding 76 runs in his four-over spell without taking a wicket.