PBKS Head Coach Ricky Ponting Lauds Arshdeep Singh For Putting MI 'On The Back Foot'

Following a 7-wicket (with 21 balls to spare) Indian Premier League (IPL) victory against Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede Stadium on Thursday, Punjab Kings Head Coach Ricky Ponting lauded his side’s tactical discipline and individual brilliance . Speaking during the ‘Dressing Room Diaries’ after the match, Ponting highlighted the “tone-setting” opening spell from Arshdeep Singh and the "calculating" batting masterclass from Prabhsimran Singh as the catalysts for the win.

Hopes was quick to dismiss any talk of a “rough patch” for lead pacer Arshdeep Singh, instead pointing to the left-armer’s work ethic as the reason for his immediate impact on the game.

“We talk about people setting the tone; the way Arsh set the tone in the first over, swung the ball around, and put them on the back foot was exceptional,” Ponting said.

“Arsh, I know you’ve been going through what you consider a rough patch but the rest of us don’t think so. The work you put in over the last couple of days to be able to do this straight away tonight was the reward. To be on the mark from the first ball, get two early wickets, and then come back at the end to do what you normally do... it’s a credit to your work,” he added.

Chasing a challenging total, the Punjab Kings' batting unit drew high praise from the coach, particularly for their composure under pressure. Ponting specifically lauded Prabhsimran Singh, who scored an unbeaten 80 off just 39 balls and stayed glued to the pitch throughout the inning.

"The batting, I’m not starting to run out of appreciation for what we’re doing, but dear, we’re batting well," Ponting remarked. "Prabh, I need to praise you because you didn’t get a lot of strike during the Powerplay. Most of your hard work had to be done outside of it, but you were so skillful, so calm, and so calculating. You're batting as well as I've ever seen you bat."

While the Mumbai Indians looked poised for a massive total, Ponting credited the bowling group’s resilience. Noting the change of momentum in the middle overs, he specifically mentioned Shashank Singh for his pivotal contributions that kept the target within reach.

"Well done to the bowling group. The ability to claw it back was key. It felt like they might get a few more than 200, but Shanky’s (Shashank) couple of overs changed the momentum again."

Punjab Kings have recorded four wins so far in the season and are currently placed at the top of the table with nine points. Despite the celebratory mood, the veteran coach reminded his squad that the journey is long and they need to keep working hard in pursuit of excellence.

“We know that if we play somewhere near our best, we’re going to keep winning lots of games of cricket,” Ponting concluded. “We should be proud of where we are right now, but that doesn't mean we don't go to bed tonight thinking about how we can get better again tomorrow.”

The Kings will next play against Lucknow Super Giants on April 19 at their home ground- New International Cricket Stadium, New Chandigarh.