KKR batter Angkrish Raghuvanshi apologises after mocking Saina Nehwal on Twitter, deletes derogatory post on badminton legend

Add as a preferred source on Google

Kolkata Knight Riders batter Angkrish Raghuvanshi found himself in hot water after mocking badminton legend Saina Nehwal on social media. After facing flack on social media, the youngster deleted his post on X and apologised for his action.

A video of Nehwal, a former world number one badminton player and an Olympic medallist, discussing the rising popularity of physically demanding Olympic sports compared to cricket went viral on Friday (July 12).

Nehwal's comments highlighted the rigorous nature of sports like badminton, basketball, and tennis, which she claimed are more challenging than cricket. Her views, however, did not sit well with Raghuvanshi, who posted a harsh tweet in response before swiftly deleting it and later issuing an apology.

During her appearance on the Nikhil Simha podcast, Nehwal expressed her frustration over the overwhelming attention cricket receives in India, despite what she perceives as its lesser physical demands.

"I did it in India because there's no sporting culture here. Sometimes, we feel so bad that cricket gets that attention. What I have to say about cricket is, if you see badminton, basketball, tennis and other sports, they are so tough physically. You don't even have time to pick up the shuttle and serve. You're like (imitates panting), 20 seconds of run and you're breathing so hard. And cricket gets that kind of attention where, I think personally, skill is more important," she stated passionately.

Reacting to the video, Raghuvanshi shared it on his social media handle and mocked Nehwal, suggesting she should face an express delivery from Indian fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah.

His tweet read, "Let's see how she goes when Bumrah bowls 150k's bumpers at her head." The tweet was quickly deleted, but not before screenshots went viral, prompting widespread criticism.

Facing backlash, Raghuvanshi posted an apology, explaining that his remarks were meant as a joke. "I'm sorry everyone, I meant my remarks as a joke, looking back I think it was a really immature joke. I realise my mistake and I sincerely apologize," he wrote on his X account.

Earlier this year, Raghuvanshi made his debut for KKR in IPL 2024 season. Known for his impressive performance as India's highest run-getter in the victorious 2022 U-19 World Cup campaign, Raghuvanshi scored 163 runs in 19 innings at a strike rate of 155.24, including a maiden fifty.

Despite his on-field achievements, this incident serves as a reminder of the responsibilities athletes hold as public figures, particularly in their interactions on social media.