Punjab banking on changed set-up to deliver

Bengaluru: What does the management do when a team is failing repeatedly? Simple, change the set-up, starting from the top to the bottom. That’s exactly what Punjab Kings, who have not qualified for the play-offs since finishing runners-up in 2014 (their best-ever performance), have done in their quest to rise above mediocrity.

Firstly, they roped in batting great Ricky Ponting as the head coach last September. Ponting, undoubtedly, is one one of the greatest captains to have played the sport, leading Australia to two successive ICC World Cup triumphs (2003 and 2007) during which time they went undefeated. 

Nicknamed Punter, he carried forward that legacy into the IPL as a coach too, guiding Mumbai Indians to title triumph in 2015 and was instrumental in developing Hardik Pandya and Jasprit Bumrah into India stars. When he moved over to Delhi Capitals in 2018, he led them to their first play-offs in seven years in 2019, powered them to their first final next season before overseeing their top of the table finish in 2021.

With Punjab, Ponting got the decision makers to go all out at the auctions last November to sign Shreyas Iyer for a whopping Rs 26.75 crore — the second highest purchase overall. Iyer led Kolkata Knight Riders to their third IPL title last season and even won the Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 Trophy with Mumbai last December. Once exiled from the national team over disciplinary issues, he played an integral role in India winning a record third ICC Champions Trophy early this month in Dubai.

Now these two successful individuals with strong leadership traits will be looking to redefine a team that has barely performed above the ordinary. Do they have the personnel to get the job done? They do but a lot will depend on the heavyweights to do all the heavy lifting.

Batting hinges a lot on internationals Iyer, Josh Inglis, Marcus Stoinis and Glenn Maxwell. Yuzvendra Chahal, IPL’s lading wicket-taker, Arshdeep Singh, Marco Jansen and Lockie Ferguson will have to shoulder the bowling responsibilities. Hidden beneath the stars are some exciting domestic talents like Prabhsimran Singh, Shashank Singh and Musheer Khan, who was involved in a life-threatening accident last year. 

If the stars shine and uncut gems complement them, then Punjab could ascend the throne for the first time.

Squad: Shreyas Iyer (capt), Nehal Wadhera, Vishnu Vinod, Josh Inglis (wk), Harnoor Pannu, Pyla Avinash, Prabhsimran Singh (wk), Shashank Singh, Marcus Stoinis, Glenn Maxwell, Harpreet Brar, Marco Jansen, Azmatullah Omarzai, Priyansh Arya, Aaron Hardie, Musheer Khan, Suryansh Shedge, Arshdeep Singh, Yuzvendra Chahal, Vyshak Vijaykumar, Yash Thakur, Lockie Ferguson, Kuldeep Sen, Xavier Bartlett, Pravin Dubey.   

Best finish: Runners-up (2014)

Overall record: M: 246; W: 111; L: 133; W%: 45.12

Highest total: 262/2 vs KKR (Kolkata, Apr 26, 2024)

Lowest total: 73/10 vs Pune Supergiant (Pune, May 14, 2017)