"Taking Little Notes Off Each Other": Cooper Connolly On PBKS' Success In IPL 2026
Unbeaten so far this season, Punjab Kings have fostered a positive dressing-room environment, with players learning from one another and "enjoying taking little notes off each other," said batting all-rounder Cooper Connolly.
Unbeaten so far this season, Punjab Kings have fostered a positive dressing-room environment, with players learning from one another and "enjoying taking little notes off each other," said batting all-rounder Cooper Connolly. Connolly made 87 off 46 balls and shared 182 runs for the second wicket with opener Priyansh Arya (93 off 37 balls) to set up a massive 254 for 7 for the Punjab side in their 54-run win against Lucknow Super Giants on Sunday. "We all have discussions about what works for each other, and we take little things out of each other's books. We've enjoyed sort of taking little notes off each other," said Connolly about his side's five-match winning run in the league so far.
"We're all looking to try and get better, that's what the game's about, be the best team there is, and we're looking forward to plenty more notes and messages from each other to get better as a group and a squad, and not my game." Connolly lauded captain Shreyas Iyer for leading the side with example. PBKS are currently on top of IPL standings with 11 points from six matches. The only point they have dropped so far was against KKR, when the match was washed out.
"Yeah, he (Shreyas) just leads by example, he's always making his group feel comfortable around him, and he's always about just trying to get better and encouraging people and just making sure we do it with a smile on our face." Talking about his big partnership with Priyansh, the Australian said, "Priyansh and Prabhsimran sort of go about their sort of business the way they do, and Priyansh has done it over the last couple of years and been successful at it.
"I was at the other end just in awe a little bit there, because I couldn't get off strike, but yeah, just enjoying watching him bat.
"I think the game doesn't change too much when you're batting first, you're just trying to play good cricket shots, put the pressure on the bowing attack, and take advantage of the loose balls, and I think we did that tonight." On the dropped catches by his side, Connolly said, "Obviously, we would have liked to have taken those catches, but it's cricket, people drop catches, they don't try to drop catches, so we just look to move forward and put our best foot forward for the next game." LSG pacer Prince Yadav who returned with figures of 2/25 from his four overs against Punjab Kings refused to blame his team's bowlers for conceding a massive total.
"They (PBKS batters) played some good shots, the bowlers are not at fault. If we lose, we lose as a team. And if we win, we win as a team. If we have a bad day, there is nothing like that. We will come back and play well." Asked about his bowling, he said, "The plan was simple, to bowl dot balls as many as possible. I have been working on that since last year, since the start of the season. I have backed myself up and delivered the same things.
"I back my yorkers more, so I have more confidence in that."
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Punjab Kings
Lucknow Super Giants