Punjab Kings' IPL season derailed by off-field controversies: bowling coach

Punjab Kings have lost their sixth consecutive match in the Indian Premier League 2026 season and are on the brink of elimination from the playoffs. A team that went undefeated in the first half of the season has suddenly fallen apart and can’t seem to buy a win at the moment.

While the on-field performances have been disappointing, Punjab have also faced scrutiny for several off-field controversies. From Yuzvendra Chahal’s on-board vaping video to Arshdeep Singh calling Tilak Varma ‘andhere’, problems have piled up one after another for the Shreyas Iyer-led side.

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However, while Punjab are staring at the possibility of missing out on the play-offs, bowling coach James Hopes does not believe off-field disputes are to blame for the team’s downfall.

According to Hopes, Punjab’s season unraveled because they repeatedly failed to control the momentum in the games. He said the side kept conceding key moments during matches which eventually resulted in their losing streak in the second half of the campaign.

“I don’t think any off-field things derailed our campaign. What derailed our campaign was our inability to take control of the momentum in games. Every time it looked like we were going to do that, we did something to hurt ourselves or trip ourselves up,” James Hopes said in his post-match press conference on Sunday, May 17.

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Punjab scored 222 runs against defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru in Dharamsala on Sunday. Any hopes of chasing down the target were quickly dashed after Punjab lost three wickets in the first four overs of the innings.

Priyansh Arya, Prabhsimran Singh and skipper Shreyas Iyer fell to single-digit scores as Bhuvneshwar Kumar dominated the over.

Reacting to the loss, Shreyas Iyer blamed the top order, including himself, for the defeat. The Punjab skipper admitted that the team failed to get the kind of start they were hoping for during the season.

“We were three down and most of our scorers were Prabhsimran and Priyansh. Obviously we couldn’t get the starts they were giving us in the power play this time and I also came in and out early. Really disappointed,” said Shreyas Iyer.

Despite the loss, Shreyas said he remains hopeful about Punjab’s playoff chances and insisted the defeats will not affect his personal prospects. The captain added that he does not dwell too much on setbacks and believes there is still a chance for the team to turn things around.

“I’m always positive regardless of the results. It doesn’t define what my personality is and I always approach with a strong attitude. I’m not someone who dwells too much on the past. This is gone, this is gone. I’ll see the sunrise again tomorrow and there’s always light at the end of the tunnel,” concluded Shreyas.

Punjab Kings ended their Dharamsala leg with three defeats in three matches. They will now travel to Lucknow for their final group stage match of the season against Lucknow Super Giants.

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Issued by:

Kingshuk Kusari

Published on:

17 May 2026 21:04 IST