Controversies Embroil Punjab Kings' IPL 2026 Campaign, Coach Refuses To Blame Arshdeep Singh
Punjab Kings' situation went from bad to worse on Sunday as they slumped to their sixth consecutive defeat in IPL 2026.
Punjab Kings' situation went from bad to worse on Sunday as they slumped to their sixth consecutive defeat in IPL 2026. Shreyas Iyer and Co, who had dominated the first half of the season with six straight wins, now appear to have completely lost momentum in the latter stages. Facing defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru in Dharamsala, PBKS suffered a 23-run defeat, pushing them to the brink of elimination. Amid the team's struggles, PBKS bowling coach James Hopes came out in support of star pacer Arshdeep Singh, who has been under scrutiny for both his on-field performances and off-field issues.Â
Arshdeep has struggled for rhythm this season and leaked 43 runs for one wicket in four overs against RCB.
Addressing the criticism, Hopes refused to link Arshdeep's performances to social-media distractions, instead pointing to the team's failure to handle pressure situations as the primary reason behind the slump.Â
"I think, to be honest, Arshdeep bowled well in the back half of the tournament, like, very well. He's been aggressive. There's been players and misses. There's been catches dropping short of people, and some missed opportunities. He fronts up every training session, every game, ready to go. And today was no different. He's a warrior," Hopes said in the post-match press conference.
"I don't think any off-field stuff derailed our campaign. What derailed our campaign was our inability to take control of the momentum in games. Every time it looked like we were about to do it, we'd do something to hurt ourselves or trip ourselves up," he added.
With just one match left against Lucknow Super Giants, Punjab Kings not only need a win but must also rely on other results to keep their playoff hopes alive. After defeating PBKS, RCB became the first team to qualify for the IPL 2026 Playoffs.Â
Punjab Kings
Royal Challengers Bengaluru