Lockie Ferguson excluded from IPL 2026? Shocking statement from former Indian opener on Punjab Kings pacer
Former India batsman Aakash Chopra has said that Punjab Kings (PBKS) may face challenges with their bowling attack in the 2026 Indian Premier League (IPL) season. Chopra said PBKS retained most of its squad before the auction and made a few signings to fill the gaps left by players such as Glenn Maxwell.
The Kings signed Australian all-rounder Cooper Connolly for ₹3 crore. They upgraded their pace options by signing Ben Dwarshuis for ₹4.4 crore. However, the two Australians are unlikely to make the playing XI with Marco Jansen, Arshdeep Singh, Lockie Ferguson and Yuzvendra Chahal forming the bowling attack.
I don’t hear any good stories about Lockie Ferguson – Aakash Chopra
In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Aakash Chopra said that Punjab Kings entered the auction having retained the bulk of their squad. However, Chopra added that there was a weakness in PBKS’s bowling plans as the team relies heavily on overseas pacers.
Your daily dose of cricket!
“They only bought four players because they had retained 21. When you have that many retained players, you don’t need to buy much. Glenn Maxwell left the IPL, so they had to take someone else. They took Cooper Connolly for ₹3 crore, which I think was a phenomenal buy, Ben Dwarshuis, Pravin Dubey and Vishal Nishad,” Chopra said.
“They are more dependent on overseas fast bowling, beyond Arshdeep Singh. They have taken Ben Dwarshuis. Marco Jansen, who is in phenomenal form, is already available. I don’t hear good stories about Lockie Ferguson. I don’t know if he will be available and fit, or I really like Lockie,” he added.
But they are still a little light in bowling – Aakash Chopra
Chopra said Punjab Kings have options in their pace attack but added that the quality and balance of the bowling unit is not entirely convincing, leaving PBKS slightly underfunded in that department despite the numbers.
“They had taken Mitchell Owen earlier and they had retained him. They have another bowler in Xavier Bartlett. Azmatullah Omarzai, Vijaykumar Vyshak – so it’s not like they don’t have any bowlers, but they are still a bit light on bowling,” he observed.
Lockie Ferguson’s fitness remains a concern for Punjab Kings. The fast bowler played just four matches last season before a leg injury ended his campaign prematurely.
The injury concerns continued beyond the IPL. Ferguson recently picked up a calf problem while playing for the Desert Vipers in the T20 International League, adding further uncertainty over his availability and fitness.
I thought they would strengthen the Spin department – Aakash Chopra
Aakash Chopra believes Punjab Kings missed an opportunity to strengthen their spinning attack in the auction. Chopra said the lack of strong backups for Yuzvendra Chahal and Harpreet Brar could become a concern for PBKS as the season progresses.
“I thought they would strengthen the spin department a bit more. With the players they have taken, it hasn’t been a serious improvement in the spin department. They have a great bowler in Yuzvendra Chahal and Harpreet Brar is a utility player, but after them you see there is not much depth in spin bowling. That is one thing that troubles them slightly,” Chopra said.
Also read: Huge blow! Travis Head withdraws from 2026 league
