Ricky Ponting distances himself from PBKS off-field social media drama

Punjab Kings head coach Ricky Ponting has publicly distanced himself from the ongoing off-field social media controversy surrounding the franchise ahead of their must-win Indian Premier League 2026 match against Lucknow Super Giants at Ekana on Saturday 23 May. His comments come at a time when the team is under intense scrutiny due to both a dramatic loss of form and repeated media incidents involving players off the pitch.

The situation adds another layer of pressure on the Punjab Kings, who started the season in dominant fashion with six consecutive wins but have since suffered six straight defeats. This sudden collapse put their playoff hopes in jeopardy more intense focus on both the team environment and internal discipline.

However, Ponting was firm in separating external chatter from team performance.

“I don’t think anything outside will break us as a team,” Ponting told reporters ahead of the must-win game against Lucknow Super Giants. “I’m not a big social media guy anyway, so no, a lot of things that go on. I probably forget about (social media).”

His remarks underscore a clear attempt to stop speculation that he is distracting off the field affect performance. Instead, Ponting emphasized control, preparation and maintaining a calm environment in the dressing room as key priorities during the high-pressure phase of the tournament. As the margins in the IPL are often extremely tight, even minor slip-ups have cost the Punjab Kings crucial games in their recent skid.

“All I can do and control is the behavior of the team and the way the team prepares and the way the team plays,” he added.

The questioning comes after controversy surrounding the team has intensified after a video surfaced online involving the player, sparks a wide debate among fans. Although the franchise has not officially commented on the incident, it has contributed to increasing scrutiny of the team’s internal dynamics at a critical stage of the season.

PONTING IS SUPPORTED BY SHREYAS LEADERSHIP

amidst the noise Ponting also strongly defended captain Shreyas Iyer, praise his leadership and influence in the team. He highlighted Iyer’s maturity and the clarity he brings to the group, both tactically and emotionally.

“Oh, he’s been great, we wanted to have the best leader that was available, we wanted to rebuild this franchise with the best Indian talent we could and I think we’ve done that,” Ponting said. “He’s a very mature cricketer, he understands now that he needs to be in a group to get the best out of all his players every time he speaks, every one of our players looks up and listens, he’s an exceptional leader.”

Ponting’s strong backing reflects the franchise’s long-term vision built around experienced leadership and young Indian core talent, even as short-term results falter. While the external narrative of the controversy continues to mount on social media, the coaching staff seems to be focused on isolating the team and restoring performance levels in what has effectively become a do-or-die situation for their IPL campaign.

– The end

Published on:

22 May 2026 19:47 IST

‘, e.appendChild