punjab kingsCo-owner Mohit Burman has spoken on the availability of players in the IPL, a talking point that has become the center of discussion around the 2026 season.
Many players have either withdrawn their names or joined late due to international or personal commitments, which has hampered the work of many sides. PBKS themselves were a victim of this, having to release Josh Inglis before the season due to his availability for only the latter half of the season. Barman said that this is an issue where there should be complete clarity on player participation. The absence of players disrupts season planning, which can have a significant impact on team performance.
“It is a sensitive issue because the international cricket calendar is very crowded and players also have commitments to their national boards. But ideally, when a player is committed to a franchise, there should be as much clarity as possible about availability. From a franchise's perspective, it becomes difficult to plan when key players are unavailable for significant parts of the tournament despite major auction investments,” Burman told reporters.
Australian pace trio Mitchell StarcJosh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins joined their teams late after being directed by Cricket Australia due to workload management concerns. All three were also recovering from serious injuries. Burman further said that fans expect to see marquee players for their teams and in such situations, there should be clear communication and collaboration between all concerned parties.
He added, “Fans also expect to see marquee players from the start of the season. Also, the solution has to come through cooperation rather than confrontation. The BCCI, franchises, players and international boards all need to organize the schedule better and make clear commitments.”
The franchise finished the league stage with 15 points. They went undefeated through the first half of the season, before a six-game losing streak derailed their playoff hopes. They finished the season with a win over Lucknow Super Giants, courtesy of the captain Shreyas IyerFirst IPL century. This victory had kept their hopes alive, but Rajasthan Royals went ahead in the race by defeating Mumbai Indians and made it to the top four.
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