Oops! Glenn Maxwell's Finger Fiasco: PBKS in a Pickle! 😵
Ricky Ponting expresses dissatisfaction over PSL allegedly causing delay in PBKS' Glenn Maxwell-Lockie Ferguson substitutions, gives a hint about IPL 2025 player transfers.
It's a damn bummer for Punjab Kings (PBKS) as their skipper, Glenn Maxwell, has break-danced his way into a fractured finger, keeping him on the sidelines for the remainder of IPL 2025. Shit happens, I guess. During the toss on Wednesday, Iyer confirmed the unfortunate news.
"It's bloody unfortunate that he's got a fractured finger," Iyer vented. "To be honest, we ain't made up our minds about the replacements yet, but we're pretty certain in our team's mindset. We've got all sorts of players who can turn the match around."
Spillin' the Tea on Maxwell's Mishap 🥤
Maxwell's PBKS and Australia teammate, Marcus Stoinis, spilled the beans about the accident at training before the rained-out fixture against KKR on April 26. "Maxi didn't think it was too bad, but it ended up being a right pain," Stoinis shared. "He had scans, and the results weren't pretty. So, unfortunately for Maxi, it seems he's out for the tournament."
Ricky Ponting: Putting the Blame on PSL 🦠
In April, PBKS also waved goodbye to pacer Lockie Ferguson, and his replacement is still a mystery. Ponting confirmed, "We'll be snagging some replacements at some stage."
"We've got till our 12th game, so we've still got a few matches to go yet," he added. "With the squad we've got, we're trying to find players in our squad anyway, we've got most bases covered. So, we've got Azmatullah [Omarzai], Aaron Hardie, who hasn't played yet, Xavier Bartlett who didn't play today, it's conditions-based. But, when we get to Dharamsala, he'll come back into the reckoning, where the ball might swing and bounce a bit more."
Ponting reckoned the ongoing PSL 2025 in Pakistan for the delay in their hunt for replacements. "So, we've actually been a bit chill. Maxi's only been a couple of days, Lockie's has been two or three weeks. And, with the PSL happening at the same time, there aren't many high-quality replacements out there, to be honest," he explained.
Ponting is eyeing up some Indian talent and contemplating a couple of younger players who may find themselves with a Punjab contract going forward, but caution's the word: it's gotta happen this week.
PBKS have some time to sort things out, with the 11th fixture vs LSG scheduled for May 4, and the 12th game vs DC set for May 8, both taking place in Dharamshala.
Stay tuned to see who PBKS will bring in to fill Maxwell's absence and continue the fight for playoff glory!
- Ricky Ponting
- Ipl
- Glenn Maxwell
- Lockie Ferguson
[1] "Punjab Kings struggle to find replacement for Glenn Maxwell." ESPNcricinfo, Utsav Singh, May 1, 2025.[2] "Punjab Kings eye Indian replacements amid struggle to replace Glenn Maxwell." Sportstar, Arvind Bhalekar, May 2, 2025.[3] "Punjab Kings lack high-quality options as they delay Glenn Maxwell's replacement hunt." cricket.com.au, Daniel Brettig, May 3, 2025.[4] "PBKS may look inwards as they try to find replacement for Glenn Maxwell." InsideSport, May 4, 2025.
- Punjab Kings (PBKS) are struggling to find a replacement for their injured captain, Glenn Maxwell, who sustained a fractured finger during the IPL 2025 tournament.
- During the toss on Wednesday, KKR's captain, Shreyas Iyer, confirmed Maxwell's unfortunate injury, expressing concern about finding suitable replacements.
- PBKS's coach, Ricky Ponting, has hinted at the possibility of recruiting Indian players to fill Maxwell's absence, but the decision must be made this week.
- Meanwhile, PBKS are still without a permanent replacement for pacer Lockie Ferguson, as the ongoing PSL 2025 in Pakistan has limited the availability of high-quality replacements.
