Punjab Kings (PBKS) head coach Ricky Ponting has spoken about the big decision behind releasing Glenn Maxwell ahead of the IPL 2026 season. Ponting said the call was made after assessing the overall team balance and Maxwell’s recent form, which had not lived up to expectations.
Ponting, while speaking to Star Sports, reflected on Maxwell’s struggles last season. He said, “Love Glenn and what he brings to the game. Unfortunately, last year we weren’t able to get the best out of him.” The Australian all-rounder, known for his ability to change games with explosive batting and handy off-spin, failed to deliver for PBKS throughout the 2025 season.
Ponting further added, “Looking ahead to this season, we didn’t feel he would be part of our starting team, so we decided to release him,” making it clear that Maxwell was not part of their core plans for the coming season. The decision signals PBKS’s intent to restructure and focus on players who fit their immediate combination requirements.
Maxwell faced a difficult run in IPL 2025, scoring only 48 runs in six innings. The franchise had invested ₹4.2 crore in him during the IPL 2025 mega auction, expecting him to bring stability and power to the middle order.
However, his form dipped significantly. He has been struggling in the IPL for the last two seasons, managing only 100 runs in his last 15 innings, including just 52 runs in IPL 2024. Such prolonged inconsistency made the decision easier for the management, despite Maxwell’s reputation as one of the most impactful T20 players when in form.
Punjab Kings finished as runners-up last season, putting together one of their most consistent campaigns in recent years.
Punjab Kings released players: Josh Inglis, Aaron Hardie, Glenn Maxwell, Kuldeep Sen, Praveen Dubey
Punjab Kings retained players: Shreyas Iyer (C), Nehal Wadhera, Priyansh Arya, Shashnk Singh, Pyla Avinash, Harnoor Pannu, Musheer Khan, Prabhsimran Singh, Vishnu Vinod, Marcus Stoinis, Marco Jansen, Amatullah Omarzai, Suryansh Shedge, Mitchell Owen, Arshdeep Singh, VyshakVijaykumar, Yash Thakur, Xavier Barlett, Lockie Ferguson, Yuzvendra Chahal, Harpreet Brar
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