Ricky Ponting distances himself from PBKS off-field social media drama
Ricky Ponting said Punjab Kings have not been distracted by the latest social media controversy involving Arshdeep Singh and Harpreet Brar. The remarks come with Punjab's season slipping badly and their playoff hopes hanging by a thread.
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 clash against Lucknow Super Giants at Ekana on Saturday, May 23. His comments come at a time when the team is under intense scrutiny both for their dramatic loss of form and for repeated off-field incidents involving players circulating on social media.
The situation adds another layer of pressure on Punjab Kings, who began the season in dominant fashion with six consecutive wins but have since suffered six straight defeats. That sudden collapse has left their playoff hopes in jeopardy and intensified focus on both team environment and internal discipline.
Ponting, however, was firm in separating external chatter from team performance.
“I don't think anything externally has interrupted us as a team,” Ponting told reporters ahead of the must-win fixture against Lucknow Super Giants. “I'm not a big social media guy anyway, so I don't, a lot of the stuff that's been happening. I'm probably oblivious to (social media).”
His remarks underline a clear attempt to shut down speculation that off-field distractions are affecting performance. Instead, Ponting emphasized control, preparation, and maintaining a calm dressing room environment as the key priorities during a high-pressure phase of the tournament. With margins in the IPL often extremely tight, even minor lapses have cost Punjab Kings crucial matches in their recent slide.
“All I can do and control is, is the behaviour of the team and the way that the team prepares and the way that the team plays,” he added.
The questioning comes following controversies surrounding the team intensified after a video involving players surfaced online, prompting widespread discussion among fans. While the franchise has not officially commented in detail on the incident, it has contributed to growing scrutiny of the team’s internal dynamics at a critical stage of the season.
PONTING BACKS SHREYAS' LEADERSHIP
Amid the noise, Ponting also strongly defended captain Shreyas Iyer, praising his leadership and influence within the squad. He highlighted Iyer’s maturity and the clarity he brings to the group, both tactically and emotionally.
“Oh, he's been brilliant we wanted to have the best leader that was available, we wanted to rebuild this franchise with the best Indian talent that we could and I think we did that,” Ponting said. “He's a very mature cricketer now he understands the way that he needs to be around the group to get the best out of all of his players every time that he speaks, every one of our players looks up and listens he's an exceptional leader.”
Ponting’s strong endorsement reflects the franchise’s long-term vision built around experienced leadership and young Indian core talent, even as short-term results have faltered. While external narratives around social media controversies continue to grow, the coaching group appears focused on insulating the squad and restoring performance levels in what has effectively become a do-or-die situation for their IPL campaign.
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