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IPL 2026: PBKS Fielding Horror Leaves Coach Ricky Ponting Confused; Calls It a 'Virus'
MENSXP | May 7, 2026 1:39 PM CST

PBKS under Shreyas Iyer played the 1st half of IPL 2026 at a different level. In seven games, they won six and had one no-result. They were on top of the table and the only ones unbeaten in this edition at that point. But the last three games have not been ones to write home about. PBKS have lost three on the trot and their latest defeat vs SRH sees them dethroned from the No. 1 spot.

PBKS’ Poor Fielding vs SRH

SRH beat them by 33 runs in Match 49 of IPL 2026 and jumped to the top of the table. PBKS have now slipped to 2nd spot. What let PBKS down was their fielding. It’s been a consistent problem in the last three matches and in this one, as many as three easy chances were dropped. Not to mention an easy stumping missed.

© X/IPL

Three Catches Dropped and One Stumping Missed

The 1st one to get a life was Ishan Kishan who was dropped on nine by Cooper Connolly. He was later dropped on 14 as well by Lokie Ferguson and then Prabhsimran Singh missed an easy stumping. Lockie saw Ishan drop a catch off his bowling, then dropped one of Yuzvendra Chahal’s before Chahal saw a stumping chance missed in the same over. Earlier on, Shashank Singh dropped Heinrich Klaasen with just two runs to his name. The unfortunate bowler was none other than Chahal. These drops were costly as Ishan slammed a 32-ball 55 and Klaasen hammered 69 from 43.

Ricky Ponting Worried About ‘Virus’ in PBKS

PBKS coach Ricky Ponting was on air when the third catch was dropped. He called it a ‘virus’ on the team but offered no excuses. He joked how close he was to throwing the microphone on the ground after the third chance went down. He defended his players, especially Shashank, who has dropped several chances this season. Chahal has been the unfortunate one with as many as eight catches dropped from his bowling.

"It has been a bit of a virus for us. We have put a lot of catches down this season. The boys have worked exceptionally hard this season. Poor old Shashank, it seems the ball is following him. He missed a couple of games due to a strained hamstring. It has taken him a couple of weeks. He has done all his work to be physically right to play the game. We have pumped a lot of catches into him over the last 5-6 days. There is no doubt about that. One goes down tonight. Hopefully, it is not too costly," he told Jiostar.

"I am not going to give any excuses. We trained here last night. That is the beauty of coming to these venues. You get a chance, 1-2 sessions under the lights, to get a feel. We have had a couple this year. Chahal had one in Mumbai that went straight into the light that he lost. It looked Shashank had that one covered. I am not going to give any excuse. When a catch like that comes, you have got to take it. I have been close to throwing the microphone on the ground" he added when Sunil Gavaskar asked if the 'ring of lights' were a problem for the fielders.

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