Punjab Kings’ IPL 2026 Campaign on the Brink of Collapse: R Ashwin Sympathizes with Ricky Ponting
Punjab Kings’ IPL 2026 Campaign on the Brink of Collapse
Punjab Kings’ IPL 2026 campaign has turned into a complete nightmare, and head coach Ricky Ponting looked completely heartbroken after the team’s latest defeat against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in Dharamshala on Sunday, May 18.
PBKS once looked like strong title contenders in the ongoing IPL 2026, but they are now on the verge of elimination after losing six matches in a row. The shocking part is that Punjab Kings had started the season brilliantly, winning the first six matches while one match was washed out in Kolkata.
R Ashwin Sympathizes with Ricky Ponting
Former Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin also reacted to the moment, saying the picture of Ponting sitting alone showed the pain and frustration inside the Punjab Kings camp after such a dramatic collapse in the ongoing IPL 2026 season.
Ashwin also said he felt bad for both head coach Ricky Ponting and captain Shreyas Iyer because the team had put itself in such a difficult situation after such a strong start in the tournament.
Ashwin said on his YouTube channel ‘Ash Ki Baat’: “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 spots in this tournament. I think they must be asking themselves where they went wrong.”
The former PBKS captain continued, “I sat on the same chair in 2018. I am not defending them, but I said in the last episode as well, 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.”
Criticism of Punjab Kings’ Decision to Split Home Matches
Ashwin further slammed the Punjab Kings’ decision to split their home matches in Mullanpur and Dharamshala in IPL 2026. He noted that making pitches and getting accustomed to the conditions are totally different things, and they made a big mistake in this.
Ashwin also criticized the franchise owners for focusing more on business decisions instead of what was best for the team’s performance. He signed off by saying, “These are young players, and even foreign players are struggling. 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. This is also an away game for Punjab. If they had won even one of these home games, they would’ve been smiling right now. It’s quite disappointing. I feel sad for Punjab. You shouldn’t leave your home ground. Ricky Ponting will be distraught; Shreyas Iyer will be too.”
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