Mullanpur, April 27, 2025 – The Punjab Kings’ dream of hoisting the Indian Premier League trophy this season took a bruising hit today, as a former Indian cricketer publicly declared their chances dead in the water. The reason? A questionable call to favor overseas players over homegrown talent in a critical match, sparking a firestorm of debate among fans and analysts.
The controversy erupted after Punjab’s clash with Kolkata Knight Riders on April 15 at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium. Chasing a modest target, the Shreyas Iyer-led side leaned heavily on foreign stars Glenn Maxwell and Marco Jansen, sidelining in-form Indian batsmen Nehal Wadhera and Shashank Singh. The move backfired spectacularly, with Punjab scraping through thanks to a late cameo rather than a commanding win. The former player, a veteran of India’s 2000s squads, didn’t mince words, stating the team’s obsession with international names over local grit would doom their campaign.
Punjab’s squad, revamped for 2025 under coach Ricky Ponting, was supposed to be a powerhouse. They splurged at the auction, nabbing Iyer for a jaw-dropping ₹26.75 crore and bolstering their ranks with Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, and Yuzvendra Chahal. The team started strong, racking up five wins in seven games by mid-April, sitting pretty at second on the points table with a net run rate of +0.308. Their bowlers, led by Chahal’s eight wickets, including a match-turning four-fer against Kolkata, looked lethal. Yet, cracks are showing. The top order, including Josh Inglis, has been shaky, and the reliance on foreign firepower has raised eyebrows.
The Kings’ history doesn’t inspire confidence. Since their lone IPL final in 2014, they’ve been stuck in a cycle of near-misses and outright flops, finishing eighth last season despite heavy spending on players like Harshal Patel. This year, with Ponting and Iyer at the helm, expectations soared. But the decision to bench Wadhera, who’d delivered a game-changing cameo against Royal Challengers Bengaluru on April 20, and Singh, a middle-order dynamo with a strike rate over 160, has fans fuming. The team’s loss to Rajasthan Royals on April 5, their first home defeat this season, only fueled doubts.
The IPL 2025 season, running from March 22 to May 25, has 10 teams battling across 74 matches. Punjab’s next test comes soon, with the playoffs looming from May 20. They face a grueling schedule, including a rematch with Kolkata and a showdown against Chennai Super Kings. The top four teams will advance, but Punjab’s path looks rocky. Their net run rate, while positive, lags behind rivals like Royal Challengers Bengaluru, who boast a +0.672.
The former player’s critique, aired publicly, underscores a deeper issue: strategy. Punjab’s spinners were underused in their Rajasthan loss, and the batting order shuffle against Kolkata baffled onlookers. With the squad’s balance of youth and experience—think Priyansh Arya’s promise and Stoinis’ muscle—the potential is there. But as the season heats up, every misstep counts.
Punjab Kings have 10 points from seven matches. Their next game is scheduled for April 29 against Chennai Super Kings at Mullanpur. The IPL final is set for May 25 in Kolkata.