IPL 2026: Unbeaten so far, Punjab Kings face tricky test against Delhi Capitals

NEW DELHI: Punjab Kings’ practice session had a certain looseness to it under the scorching afternoon sun here on Friday. The easy-going kind that often signals quiet confidence.

Priyansh Arya was among the first to take guard, his bat coming down with a crisp certainty that echoed through the nets. Beside him, Prabhsimran Singh moved with fluency, switching between controlled drives and some audacious pick-up shots while Cooper Connolly, unhurried and observant, slipped into rhythm as if he were calibrating his next match-winning innings.

It wasn’t a loud session but it didn’t need to be. There was enough in the body language – the stillness between shots, the clarity in execution — to suggest a batting unit that knows where it stands.

Arya, in particular, has added dynamism to Punjab’s top order this season. There has more intent in the way he has batted. Prabhsimran, too, seems to have rediscovered his balance while Connolly’s presence in the middle-order has lent the lineup a sense of assuredness.

That sense of control mirrors what the team believes is its biggest gain over the past year. “The culture which has been built by (coach) Ricky (Ponting), the values which have been built by him from last year itself, have been taken forward this year,” Punjab’s spin bowling coach Sairaj Bahutule said.

Punjab’s journey hasn’t been about sudden transformation but about refinement. They came close last season and instead of dismantling, they chose to build further on what worked. “So, the success of last year... yes, we didn’t go further and win the final, but I think that culture which was created, the same sort of values have been taken forward,” Bahutule said as Punjab geared up for Saturday’s match against Delhi Capitals.

At the centre of this is the leadership pairing of captain Shreyas Iyer and Ponting — one steadying the on-field tempo, the other sharpening intent from the sidelines. The result, as Bahutule suggested, is clarity. “Each one understands their responsibilities. The collaboration is so good that we are very clear in terms of how we want to approach each game,” said Bahutule.

On the other hand, Delhi Capitals have been inconsistent with the bat. While the likes of KL Rahul, David Miller, Tristan Stubbs and Sameer Rizvi have all contributed in patches, the unit has failed to click collectively. Opener Pathum Nissanka, despite getting starts, has been unable to convert them into substantial scores.

Captain Axar Patel, too, would want to shoulder greater responsibility with the bat. The allrounder is also under scrutiny for some questionable tactical calls in the previous game.