Punjab Kings coach URGES players to get ‘Physically, Technically and Mentally’ ready for IPL 2026

Ricky Ponting delivers a strong message to Punjab Kings squad ahead of IPL 2026, stressing preparation, discipline, and embracing mistakes as part of the game.

IPL 2026, Punjab Kings, Ricky Ponting, Shreyas Iyer, Royal Challengers Bengaluru, RCB, Prabhsimran Singh, Priyansh Arya, Nehal Wadhera, Shashank Singh, PBKS vs GT, Gujarat Titans — Punjab Kings will face Gujarat Titans in their IPL 2026 campaign opener

Punjab Kings is all set for the 19th edition of IPL as they have begun their preparations for the upcoming season, with head coach Ricky Ponting joining the camp and delivering a strong message to the squad, urging players to stay focused on the process.

“This is training, this is preparation. This is about getting ourselves physically, technically and mentally right for that first game on the 31st. I want you to think back and think what you brought to this team last year and that made us a good team,” the head coach said.

Ponting urged the players to not be discouraged by occasional errors

Ponting emphasised that mistakes are a natural part of the game, urging players to stay committed to their plans and not be discouraged by occasional errors, “We all make mistakes. That’s fine. I will make mistakes on the way through this. You will all make mistakes, you’ll drop a catch, you’ll play bad shots, you’ll bowl a bad over. But as long as you are sticking to what you know and what your game plan is, if you make a mistake, doing that in my eyes is not a mistake. It’s just what happens in the game, it’s a part of the game,” he further added.

Punjab Kings reached the last season after a gap of 11 years under the leadership of Shreyas Iyer and Ricky Ponting. PBKS faced Royal Challengers Bengaluru, who clinched their maiden IPL title with a 6-run win at the Narendra Modi Stadium.

Add India.com as a Preferred Source

PBKS finished the league stage with 19 points, thanks to a strong batting lineup. Shreyas Iyer scored 604 runs in 17 innings at an average of 50.33, while Prabhsimran Singh made 549 in 17 innings, Priyansh Arya also impressed with 475 runs.

Other batters like Nehal Wadhera and Shashank Singh provided crucial middle-order stability, scoring 369 and 289 runs respectively. Meanwhile, Arshdeep Singh was the leading wicket-taker for the side, picking up 21 wickets in 17 matches.

PBKS to face GT in their IPL 2026 opener

Punjab Kings is all set to face Gujarat Titans in their IPL 2026 campaign opener on March 31, followed by matches against Chennai Super Kings at the M.A Chidambaram Stadium on April 3, Kolkata Knight Riders at the Eden Gardens on April 6, Sunrisers Hyderabad on April 11.

Source link

The Times Of Bengal