'Title Is Far From Them': Former IPL Winner Accuses Ricky Ponting Of Undermining Indian Talent, PBKS Head Coach Under Scanner

IPL 2025: Shreyas Iyer and Ricky Ponting have been nothing but impressive this season. They had a very good mega auction, and the results are now showing in their performances in the eighteenth edition of the Indian Premier League. Punjab recently locked horns with the Kolkata Knight Riders at the iconic Eden Gardens.

Punjab this time around have been a force to reckon with. They have successfully set and followed an aggressive batting template, and it has worked wonders for them.

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Manoj Tiwari Tears Into PBKS Head Coach Ricky Ponting

Punjab Kings' unshaken belief in Glenn Maxwell is not paying the desired dividends. Though Maxwell has been Punjab's go-to option with the ball, but he surely gets picked in the team due to his batting skills. In their last match against Kolkata Knight Riders, the Punjab Kings needed quick runs after Priyansh Arya was dismissed.

Interestingly, the Head Coach of the Punjab Kings decided to hold Shashank Singh and Nehal Wadhera, two Indian talents back, and ended up sending Glenn Maxwell in. Wadhera and Shashank are in great touch compared to Maxwell. This decision made by Ponting did not sit well with former IPL Champion Manoj Tiwari, who won the title with Kolkata in 2012.

"My gut feeling says that the 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 inform batters Nehal Wadhera and Shashank Singh; instead, he trusted his foreign players to deliver, but they couldn't, and clearly showed a 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," tweeted Tiwari.

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Punjab's Playoff Qualification Scenario

Punjab looks like a firm favourite to win their maiden IPL title this season. Punjab has continued to remain in the top four of the IPL 2025 Points Table. PBKS have played nine games so far; they have won five, lost three, and their last game against the Kolkata Knight Riders ended in a no result as rain played spoilsport.

Punjab still can finish in the top two, but they will have to win at least four of their remaining five games.