Punjab Kings have put on impressive signs thus far in the IPL 2025 season under skipper Shreyas Iyer and head coach Ricky Ponting, but former India cricketer Manoj Tiwary believes that would not be enough to help the side through to their maiden IPL title this time.
Citing Ponting’s lack of trust in Punjab’s local talent during the clash against Kolkata Knight Riders at the Eden Gardens on Saturday evening, Tiwary took to social media to explain his ‘gut feeling’ that says PBKS might not cross the hurdle, 11 years after their last and only appearance in an IPL final.
Punjab were off to a blistering start with the bat as uncapped openers Prabhsimran Singh and Priyansh Arya slammed quick-fire fifties during their 120-run opening stand within 71 deliveries. However, Punjab slipped from a position of 160 for one in 14.3 overs to only 201 for four as PBKS opted to send in Marco Jansen and Glenn Maxwell ahead of local stars Shashank Singh and Nehal Wadhera. While Jansen fell for 3 off 7 deliveries, Maxwell’s poor form continued as he was castled for 7.
Tiwary picked up on Ponting’s faith on his overseas players after Punjab had put on a commanding start with the bat in a match eventually abandoned by strong rain spells in Kolkata.
“My gut feeling says that Punjab team will not be able to win the #IPL trophy this season because what I saw today when they were batting was, the coach didn’t send Indian in-form batters Nehal Wadhera and Shashank Singh, instead he trusted his foreign players to deliver, but they couldn’t and clearly showed lack of confidence in Indian players down the order. If he persists in this way, then the title is far from them irrespective of their qualification in the top two,” Tiwary wrote on X.
