IPL 2026 | Behind Arshdeep Singh's struggles: Punjab Kings discover 'restrictions' in pacer's body
Punjab Kings bowler Arshdeep Singh struggled this IPL season. Physical issues and off-field distractions affected his performance. Team management believes they have found solutions.
Singh is now feeling better physically. He needs to regain his form to help Punjab Kings. Leaders like Singh and Iyer must guide the team through this tough phase.
DHARAMSHALA: Arshdeep Singh didn’t look like his usual self during practice here on Saturday afternoon. On the eve of a nearly make-or-break match against table-toppers Royal Challengers Bengaluru, he eschewed the customary banter with teammates for intense conversations with Punjab Kings head coach Ricky Ponting. For a man who has built his reputation on lighting up a dressing room and a warrior-like temperament on the field in the toughest of situations, India’s premier left-arm seamer has been visibly subdued in the IPL.
Arshdeep scaled the zenith of success with back-to-back triumphant World Cup campaigns in the first week of March. In two months’ time, he finds himself at rock bottom in the foothills of the daunting Dhauladhar range here. Arshdeep’s unusually low season is a major reason why Punjab Kings have inexplicably plunged from the peak they attained halfway through the tournament.
Be it the controversies erupting from his social media presence or bowling on flattest of pitches, one has been wandering what must be ailing Arshdeep. Well, the Punjab Kings management understandably also went hunting for answers. And it has emerged that he was not at his optimum best physically during the tournament.