Punjab Kings (PBKS) were left dejected and dejected ahead of the IPL 2026 season after an unexpected last-minute situation involving Australian wicketkeeper-batsman Josh Inglis. PBKS co-owner Ness Wadia has expressed disappointment as the situation has unfolded.
Wadia revealed that Punjab Kings were keen to retain Josh Inglis and have included him in their plans for the upcoming season. But Inglis left them disappointed and disappointed by informing the franchises at the last minute that he would be available only for a few weeks in the upcoming IPL 2026 as his marriage was scheduled to take place in early April.
Punjab Kings co-owner expresses disappointment over Josh Inglis’ late IPL 2026 call
The Australian wicketkeeper-batsman also mentioned that he would need time to rest and recover after the wedding, which reduced his availability. Wadia said that the issue for the Punjab management was never about marriage. The concern was about communication time.
Also read: Shubman Gill retained, Rinku Singh left out in India’s T20 World Cup squad announcement….
Josh Inglis had been part of the Punjab setup for some time and was fully aware that the retention deadline was approaching. Despite this, the franchises were informed barely 45 minutes before the deadline, leaving almost no time to reconsider plans or come up with alternative decisions.
Wadia believes that this last minute update has put the team in a difficult situation. The sudden call forced PBKS to scramble at the last minute, and the franchise co-owner felt the situation could have been avoided with clearer and earlier communication.
Ness Wadia unhappy with Josh Inglis’ communication timing
Sportstar quoted Ness Wadia as saying: “We didn’t really let Josh go. I mean, unfortunately, Josh only told us at the last minute, which wasn’t very fair, considering he’d been with us for a while. I think everyone knew when the retention was going to happen, and we were informed 45 minutes before the deadline that he was getting married and he needed time to rest and recuperate.” He will only be available for a few weeks.”
She added, “We told him he should have informed us earlier. I don’t think it was very professional of him. I don’t think it’s very professional for anyone if they knew there was a deadline. You can’t call someone 45 minutes in advance and say, ‘Hey, I’m not coming,’ especially when he knew we were keeping him.”
Also read: Indian cricketers are battling dengue-chikungunya before T20 World Cup 2026
He behaved very unprofessional, but I wish him all the best: Ness Wadia
Wadia also criticized Josh Inglis for his unprofessional attitude after the IPL 2026 auction. However, the PBKS co-owner wished the Australian cricketer all the best for the future.
Notably, after initially going unsold, Inglis sparked an intense bidding war between Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) and Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in the IPL 2026 auction. LSG eventually signed Inglis for a huge sum of Rs 8.6 crore, and it looks like they have invested for the future.
He concluded, “But I wish him all the best. He is a good player and I am sure he will do well for Australia. And let’s see whether he plays in the IPL or not. I wish him all the best because he is a fellow human being. But the way he behaved was not very professional.”