R Ashwin Decodes Punjab Kings' Problem After Ricky Ponting's 'Virus' Comment: "Something Looked Off"
Punjab Kings' (PBKS) glaring fielding issues were highlighted during their IPL 2026 defeat to Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) on Wednesday.
- R Ashwin pointed out the possible factor behind Punjab Kings' fielding problems in their defeat to SRH
- "Something looked off. You could understand that the ball was bouncing unevenly near the boundary," he said
- "It has been a bit of a virus for us," PBKS head coach Ricky Ponting had said earlier on their fielding
Punjab Kings (PBKS) have lost three IPL 2026 matches in a row, leaving a number of concerns on the plate of captain Shreyas Iyer and head coach Ricky Ponting. Chief among those worries is PBKS' fielding struggles. It is an area that was under the scanner once again during their defeat to Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) on Wednesday, with Ponting even admitting that it has been a "virus" for them. However, legendary India spinner and former PBKS captain Ravichandran Ashwin tried to find a reason behind their fielding issues.
Ashwin highlighted that the ground at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad has produced notably uneven bounce of late, catching fielders by surprise.
In particular, Ashwin pointed out an instance where PBKS' Australian star Cooper Connolly made a misfield.
"I'm not making excuses, but something definitely looked off with Punjab Kings' fielding this time. They dropped far too many catches. Even when Ricky Ponting was being interviewed during the match, he mentioned that poor fielding spreads like a virus through a team," Ashwin said, speaking on his Hindi YouTube channel 'Ash ki Baat'.
"One thing I noticed was Cooper Connolly's dropped catch. Just before that, he had misfielded a boundary as well. From that, you could clearly understand that the ball was bouncing unevenly near the boundary line. Even in the previous match at the Hyderabad stadium, the ball was kicking up sharply. This usually happens when the outfield becomes very hard and loses its softness," he added.
THIS MUST BE WATCHED
— TheFakeFakeer (@TheFakeFakeer) May 6, 2026
R. Ashwin explains the probable reasons behind DROPPED CATCHES & MISSED STUMPINGS during SRH vs PBKS match.
Vimal: "Chahal bechara apna sir pakad ke baitha tha, aur koi bowler hota to gaali dene lagta"
Ash: "Even Ricky Ponting said it's a virus... pic.twitter.com/BESZQ5tNzJ
Ashwin also pointed to a stumping opportunity squandered by PBKS wicket-keeper Prabhsimran Singh to further explain his logic.
"Prabhsimran's missed stumping happened because I don't think he was fully prepared for that kind of bounce. When Ishan Kishan stepped out, he expected the ball to come normally onto the gloves, but it suddenly bounced more than expected. He couldn't judge it in time. Since he isn't very tall, he has to read that bounce earlier than most keepers," Ashwin said.
Punjab Kings star Shashank Singh was also at the centre of the fielding mess. Shashank has made multiple high-profile errors in the field during IPL 2026, and dropped yet another catch during their match against SRH.
Following Shashank's drop, Ricky Ponting said the following:
"It has been a bit of a virus for us. We have put a lot of catches down this season. The boys have worked exceptionally hard this season. Poor old Shashank - it seems the ball is following him."
Ravichandran Ashwin
Punjab Kings