Punjab Kings have been one of the most underperforming sides in the IPL. (Source: X.com)
The 2009 Indian Premier League (IPL) was drawing to a close. Because of a clash with the general elections in India, the tournament had been moved to South Africa, and the caravan had crisscrossed the country for a month before arriving in the highveld for the climactic phase.
Kings XI Punjab, as the franchise was known then, hadn’t been able to hit the high notes of the inaugural year – when their 10 wins in the league phase was behind only Shane Warne’s Rajasthan Royals – but victory over the table-topping Delhi Daredevils set up a potentially decisive clash against Deccan Chargers.
In a low-scoring game, Yuvraj Singh’s three wickets and a brilliant final over from Irfan Pathan, who dismissed Rohit Sharma and RP Singh, gave Punjab a 1-run win. It could have been the springboard for much more, but instead, the thrills on the field were completely overtaken by events off it.
Two of Punjab’s owners, sitting in one of the swanky boxes at The Wanderers in Johannesburg, decided that it would be a good idea to tease a young lady sitting in an adjacent box. One gent tried to use the tip of the Kings XI Punjab flag he was holding to poke her. She wasn’t amused.
Our inebriated friends didn’t know that the lady was the daughter-in-law of one of South Africa’s most powerful Indian-origin businessmen. Within minutes, her private security detail had entered the Punjab owners’ box and handed out a good, old-fashioned whipping. Only Lalit Modi’s intervention and entreaties to the business family ensured that a messy police case and criminal proceedings were avoided.
The gentlemen in question still had black eyes from the beating when they left South Africa. The Tom Moody-coached team also joined them in the departure lounge, losing another low-scoring game to Chennai Super Kings. Given all that had happened in the preceding days, the players could scarcely be blamed for taking their eyes off the ball.
That little episode pretty much sums up the story of the IPL’s afterthought franchise. After that bright start in 2008, Punjab have enjoyed just one winning season, when Glenn Maxwell’s brutal hitting took them to the 2014 final, which they lost to Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR).
Moody’s three-year stint was followed by Michael Bevan, Adam Gilchrist, Darren Lehmann, Sanjay Bangar (three seasons), Virender Sehwag, Brad Hodge, Mike Hesson, and Anil Kumble (three years). Trevor Bayliss, who enjoyed such success with KKR, is now in his second season of trying to get the becalmed ship to sail.
The captaincy merry-go-round has been no less dizzying. As many as ten individuals have led Punjab in at least 10 games, but no one has been in charge longer than George Bailey’s tally of 35. The franchise has become a byword for mediocrity, and the lack of enthusiasm in the stands reflects that.
The move to a new stadium in Mullanpur has seen them win just one of five games so far, with the atmosphere rapidly becoming as muted as it was on bad days in Mohali. The owners have been looking to relocate or sell up for a decade, and the underwhelming results are very much in sync with an operation that appears to have no long-term plan.
The Shashank Singh fiasco at the last auction was yet another example of Punjab’s ability to shoot itself in the foot, and it will be cold comfort that Shashank’s batting has been one of the few redeeming features of another poor campaign. The franchise has seen some of the world’s best batters and bowlers come and go, while barely looking back with any fondness, and even the most innovative coaches are enfeebled by the environment.
Jaipur was no cricket hotbed either, but the Royals managed to create a loyal fan base around the Halla Bol slogan. Punjab remain the man on the treadmill. If you see just half the picture, you’d think he’s going places. But when you take a closer look, you’ll see he’s going nowhere at all.
The post Punjab Kings – the IPL’s Afterthought Franchise appeared first on Sports News Portal | Latest Sports Articles | Revsports.
The 2009 Indian Premier League (IPL) was drawing to a close. Because of a clash with the general elections in India, the tournament had been moved to South Africa, and…
The post Punjab Kings – the IPL’s Afterthought Franchise appeared first on Sports News Portal | Latest Sports Articles | Revsports.
