Josh Inglis of Punjab Kings (Photo: Pankaj Nangia/Getty Images) Punjab Kings co-owner Ness Wadia has publicly criticized Australian wicketkeeper Josh Inglis, calling his behavior “unprofessional” over how and when the franchise was informed of his availability for IPL 2026. Wadia said PBKS intended to keep Inglis but were blindsided when the player announced his limited availability just minutes before the retention deadline. According to Wadia, the problem was never Inglis’ wedding in early April, but the timing of the revelation.
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In an interview with Sportstar, Wadia said: “We really didn’t let Josh go. Unfortunately, Josh only told us at the last minute, which wasn’t very fair considering he’d been with us for a while. Everyone knew when the detention was coming and 45 minutes before the deadline, we were informed by him that he was getting married and needed time to rest and recover. He said he would only be available for a few days.” Wadia made it clear that the franchise has not changed after planning a retention strategy around Inglis. “We told him he should have informed us earlier. I don’t think that was very professional of him. If you know there’s a deadline, you can’t call someone 45 minutes in advance and say you’re not coming, especially when you know you’re being held up,” he said. Despite the criticism, Wadia struck a conciliatory note at the end and wished the player the best of luck. “I wish him all the best. He is a good player and I am sure he will do well for Australia. Whether he plays in the IPL or not, I wish him well as a human being. But the way he behaved was not very professional,” he added. Inglis’ limited availability has already become a talking point ahead of the IPL 2026 mini-auction. Although he was initially unsold, he later sparked a bidding war and was eventually signed by Lucknow Super Giants for INR 8.6 million. It’s clear that LSG invested in him with an eye on future seasons rather than expecting a big return in his short tenure this year. From Inglis’s side, the situation was handled clearly. The batsman admitted that he will not be available for the entire IPL 2026 season due to his wedding in early April, with the tournament scheduled to run from March 26 to May 31.
