Ricky Ponting’s PBKS Strategy Sparks Debate

Questionable Batting Order in PBKS vs KKR Match

Ricky Ponting, the former Australian captain and current PBKS coach, faced criticism for promoting Australian players over in-form Indian cricketers during the PBKS vs KKR match on Saturday.

PBKS Openers Shine

• Prabhsimaran Singh scored 83 off 49 balls
• Priyansh Arya contributed 69 off 35 balls
• The openers took PBKS past the 120-run mark in just 12 overs

Maxwell’s Struggles Continue

Despite the impressive performance by the openers, the decision to send Glenn Maxwell, who has been out of form this season, at number 4 raised eyebrows. Maxwell scored only 7 off 8 balls before being dismissed by Varun Chakravarthy.

Foreign Players Prioritized Over In-form Indians

Instead of giving opportunities to in-form Indian batsmen like Shashank Singh and Nehal Wadhera, PBKS relied on foreign players such as Marco Jansen (3 off 7 balls) and Josh Inglis (11 off 6 balls).

Former Cricketer Manoj Tiwary Criticizes PBKS Strategy

Former Indian cricketer Manoj Tiwary expressed his disappointment with PBKS’ decision to prioritize foreign players over local talent. He suggested that this lack of confidence in Indian players might hinder PBKS’ chances of winning the IPL this season.

Ponting’s Previous IPL Controversies

This is not the first time Ponting has been involved in IPL controversies. He was previously criticized for selecting 5 Australian players during the IPL 2025 mega auction, despite having a quota of only 8 foreign players. Some of the Australian talent in the PBKS squad includes Marcus Stoinis, Glenn Maxwell, Josh Inglis, Aaron Hardie, and Xavier Bartlett.