Live Score
Cricket Teams
Cricket Players
PBKS coach provides update on availability of overseas stars for RR clash: 'Don't have...'
PBKS assistant coach isn't much worried about the two Aussies' absence for the crucial clash in Jaipur.
Punjab Kings assistant coach James Hopes has confirmed the unavailability of a couple of key overseas stars for the upcoming IPL match against Rajasthan Royals on Saturday. PBKS will resume their fight for the playoffs spot as the cash-rich league returns after a week's break. Shreyas Iyer and Co. have played quality cricket this season and have acquired 15 points in 11 matches so far. However, they need a final push on the resumption to reach the playoffs for the first time since 2014.
Hopes asserted that Punjab are awaiting the return of Marcus Stoinis and Josh Inglis, and they won't be available for the RR clash, while Marco Jansen has joined them.
"We do not have a complete squad. We hope that Marcus Stoinis and Josh Inglis join us early next week, but to be honest, I'm pretty bullish on the depth in our squad, like we have Mitchell Owens here. Marco Jansen arrives today, he has been training in Dubai. Outside of those two Australians and Aaron Hardie, we have got our full squad," James Hopes said ahead of the match on Saturday.
The overseas stars returned home when the tournament was suspended for a week due to the India-Pakistan conflict.
However, Hopes isn't much worried about the two Aussies' absence for the crucial clash in Jaipur.
"There have been certain times in the tournament that Josh and Marcus have not been selected anyway, so we are pretty bullish about our squad," Hopes said.
It was Punjab Kings head coach Ricky Ponting, who convinced his players and coaching staff to stay back in India. They were about to board the flight back home when the ceasefire between India and Pakistan came into force. Ponting took the last-minute call and made sure the majority of his overseas stars also stayed back.
‘We stayed because there was…’: James Hopes on staying in India
Hopes explained why Punjab management remained in New Delhi, and said returning home would have left them with too little time to spend with their families.
"I was sitting in Delhi and then I was on a bus down to here. Myself, Ricky Ponting, Brad Haddin, and the rest of the management, we stayed because there was a chance that after the ceasefire that the tournament might get up and running on Thursday night. And for us to go back to Australia and come back again, I would have spent about 12 hours in my house so I didn't think that was worth doing," he concluded.
