In a colossal blow for the Punjab Kings (PBKS), three star Australia National Cricket Team players will be unavailable for their first match of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 after a one-week suspension.
Punjab Kings bowling coach James Hopes confirmed that all-rounders Marcus Stoinis and Aaron Hardie, as well as star wicketkeeper-batsman Josh Inglis, are yet to join the squad for the remainder of IPL 2025.
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Shreyas Iyer-led Punjab Kings will go head-to-head with the Rajasthan Royals in the 59th match of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 on Sunday, May 18, at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur.
They currently have five overseas players, who are available for selection for their first match on the IPL 2025 resumption. Those players are Marco Jansen, Mitchell Owen, who replaced injured Glenn Maxwell in the squad, Azmatullah Omarzai, Xavier Bartlett, and Kyle Jamieson, who is the temporary replacement for the injured pacer Lockie Ferguson.
Star South Africa National Cricket Team all-rounder Marco Jansen has been a key member of the PBKS squad in the Indian Premier League 2025 and has played a key role in the team's success.
But the Shreyas Iyer & Co. will miss his services if they qualify for the playoffs, as he will travel back to join the South Africa National Cricket Team in their preparations for the ICC World Test Championship Final against the Australia National Cricket Team.
We do not have a complete squad - James Hopes
Speaking at the pre-match press conference, Punjab Kings bowling coach James Hopes said that they don't have a complete squad at the moment as Aaron Hardie, Marcus Stoinis, and Josh Inglis are not yet available.
However, the PBKS coach said that he is quite bullish about the success of the team even in the absence of some overseas players, as they have a solid depth.
"We do not have a complete squad. We hope that Marcus Stoinis and Josh Inglis join us early next week, but to be honest, I'm pretty bullish on the depth in our squad, like we have Mitchell Owens here. Marco Jansen arrives today, he has been training in Dubai. Outside of those two Australians and Aaron Hardie, we have got our full squad," James Hopes said.
"There have been certain times in the tournament that Josh and Marcus have not been selected anyway, so we are pretty bullish about our squad," Hopes added.
I was sitting in Delhi and then I was on a bus down to here - PBKS coach
Hopes further said that they stayed back in India despite the suspension of the Indian Premier League because he was optimistic about the competition resuming soon. Notably, the PBKS head coach, Ricky Ponting, convinced several players and coaches to stay back in India.
"I was sitting in Delhi and then I was on a bus down to here. Myself, Ricky Ponting, Brad Haddin, and the rest of the management, we stayed because there was a chance that after the ceasefire that the tournament might get up and running on Thursday night.
"And for us to go back to Australia and come back again, I would have spent about 12 hours in my house so I didn't think that was worth doing," he said.
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