Former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan believes Punjab Kings are finally heading ‘in the right direction’ after making sharp and courageous decisions at the auction, boosting hopes of ending their long wait for an Indian Premier League title.
Pathan praised the franchise’s renewed clarity in leadership and squad construction as key factors behind their resurgence. Punjab finished runners-up last season after a narrow final defeat to Royal Challengers Bengaluru.
“Leadership has played a huge role in Punjab’s turnaround. You win half the IPL at the auction table. Big purses don’t necessarily guarantee success, but they managed to get what they wanted and reached the final,” he said.
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Pathan highlighted that the team has not hesitated to make difficult calls, including releasing underperforming players like Glenn Maxwell, while also strengthening their depth. “They made bold but necessary decisions… and now you see quality all-rounders such as Azmatullah Omarzai, Marco Jansen, and Marcus Stoinis, along with a strong young Indian batting core. They also went all-out for Shreyas Iyer after identifying him as captain. There is clear thinking now, and Punjab are moving in the right direction,” he added.
Pathan also looked back at Delhi Capitals and their past struggles with talent identification and development. “When you let go of players like AB de Villiers, and you had someone like Andre Russell, rebuilding becomes extremely difficult. There were conversations about giving Russell more chances, but they couldn’t consistently fit him into the XI. Talent identification is crucial, and Delhi used to struggle in that area,” he explained.
Fellow analyst Aakash Chopra pointed out that instability has long affected both Punjab and Delhi. “When teams don’t succeed, they tend to keep chopping and changing. One franchise has had 15 captains, the other 17. If you want to change your future, stability is absolutely essential,” he said.
However, Chopra acknowledged Delhi’s improvement in recent years and backed them strongly for the 2026 season. “Credit to Delhi, because since 2019, they’ve been consistently competitive and even reached the final in 2020. This year, I believe they have a very strong squad,” he noted.
“On paper, Delhi look like a more complete side, with backups in almost every position except the two spinners. But realistically, you won’t find replacements for Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav anywhere in the country,” he added.
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