Defeat in Dharamsala not only ended their play-off hopes but also left the head coach. Ricky Ponting Clearly sad. As the match ended, Ponting was seen sitting alone in the Punjab Kings dugout, staring silently at the natural backdrop – a moment that quickly went viral and was described as a “powerful image” by the former India all-rounder. Ravichandran Ashwin.AshwinSpeaking on his YouTube show Ash Ki Baat, said that the image captured the emotional weight of the devastation in Punjab. Expressing sympathy for both Ponting and the captain Shreyas Iyerthey also pointed to deep structural problems within the franchise.“I saw a powerful image on TV today after the match. Ricky Ponting was leaning forward in the dugout, all alone. There was a lot going on in his mind. He was in prime position to run away and finish in the top two in this tournament. I think he must be asking himself where he went wrong. I was sitting in the same chair in 2018. I said, I didn’t say last, I said he was the last or three players. Four. Champion teams don’t play at different home venues, you were winning consistently in Milanpur, then you went to Dharamsala and you lost three home matches in a row.Expanding on his criticism, Ashwin questioned Punjab Kings’ decision to split home games between Milanpur and Dharamsala, saying it had affected rhythm and familiarity.“These are young players, and even foreign players are struggling. There is a big difference between Milanpore and Dharamsala when it comes to pace and bounce. The soil is the same but the altitude is different. It is also an away game for Punjab. “If they had won even one of those home games, they would be smiling right now,” he said.“They defended 220 against SRH at Milanpur because they know the wicket very well. They practiced at the venue before the IPL started. It’s one thing to pitch, but it’s another thing to acclimatise yourself. It’s quite disappointing.” I feel sorry for Punjab. You should not leave your home ground. If it makes business sense, then just let it make business sense, but if you want to win and qualify, you can’t afford to make those mistakes. Ricky Ponting will be worried, Shreyas Iyer will be too, but it is incredibly difficult,” added Ashwin.With their playoff hopes hanging by a thread, Punjab Kings will now go into a must-win final league match against Lucknow Supergiants at the Ekna Cricket Stadium.
