Aussie legend Ricky Ponting left shattered by IPL
The Punjab Kings coach has had a tough time recently to say the least at IPL 2026
Dubai: Ricky Ponting cut a dejected figure as Punjab Kings slumped to their sixth straight defeat of the IPL 2026 season.
The Australian cricket great could only reflect on where things went wrong in the latter half of the campaign, with the franchise now on the brink of elimination from the IPL play-offs race.
Punjab Kings’ loss to Royal Challengers Bengaluru on Sunday extended their losing streak to six matches, forcing them to rely on other teams to stay in contention for a top-four spot.
As the match concluded in Dharamshala, Ponting was seen sitting alone in the Punjab Kings dugout, seemingly reflecting on where it had all gone wrong for his side. Former India and PBKS all-rounder Ravichandran Ashwin described the moment as a “powerful picture.”
While expressing sympathy for both Ponting and captain Shreyas Iyer, Ashwin also said that Punjab Kings had only themselves to blame for the situation they found themselves in.
He said: “I saw a powerful picture on TV after the match today, Ricky Ponting was leaning forward in the dugout, all alone.
“He must have a lot going on inside his head, they were in the prime position to run away and take the top two spot in this tournament.
“I am not defending them, but I said previously, the three or four champion teams don't play at different home venues.
“You were winning in Mullanpur continuously, then you went to Dharamshala and you lost three consecutive home games.”
Ashwin reaffirmed his view, questioning the franchise’s choice to split home games between Mullanpur and Dharamshala during the Indian Premier League 2026 season, while also criticising the owners for prioritising “business interests” over the team’s “cricketing priorities” this campaign.
"These are young players, and even foreign players are struggling,” he said.
“There's a big difference between Mullanpur and Dharamshala when it comes to pace and bounce, the soil is the same, but the altitude is different.
“You shouldn't leave your home ground. If it makes business sense, let it only make business sense, but if you want to win and qualify, you can't afford to make these mistakes.”
Punjab Kings take on the Lucknow Super Giants in their final fixture of the season at the Ekana Cricket Stadium, a ground widely regarded as challenging for batters.
