In a surprising decision that caught experts off guard, Punjab Kings decided to bench Marcus Stoinis for their match against Kolkata Knight Riders in Chandigarh, while still supporting Glenn Maxwell despite his lackluster performance with the bat this season. Initially, there were concerns about Stoinis possibly being injured, but a glimpse at the start of the game clarified the situation.

Former KKR team director Joy Bhattacharjya shared his thoughts with Cricbuzz, stating, "They got the wrong guy." Simon Doull, who was also on the panel, initially speculated about Stoinis' fitness, but it turned out to be just speculation since Punjab captain Shreyas Iyer didn’t disclose the playing XI at the toss, claiming he forgot the changes.

"Is he injured? Did Shreyas Iyer mention anything about Stoinis being hurt? If he’s not injured, that’s surprising. What did he score in the last game, Stoinis? He hit around 30 runs, right? And that was off just a few balls," remarked the former New Zealand cricketer.

Doull also suggested that Punjab's decision might be influenced by Kolkata's batting lineup, which includes four left-handers, making Maxwell's right-arm off-spin a potentially strategic choice.

"Unless they’re considering how many lefties are in that Kolkata lineup. Maxwell could be useful against De Kock, Narine, Venkatesh Iyer in the middle order, and Rinku at 6 or 7. So maybe they think Maxwell needs to play a significant role. That could be the reasoning. But I’m still a bit shocked since Maxwell hasn’t been scoring," he added.

Despite this, Doull expressed that it was a poor choice, especially considering Maxwell has only managed 105 runs in six innings this season.

"I didn’t think it was that bad. But those numbers are pretty terrible. Keeping him in the team just for his bowling is quite an interesting strategy," he concluded.

Ponting's conversation with Stoinis

As the rumors about the move kept swirling, the broadcasters aired a pre-game clip featuring Punjab's head coach Ricky Ponting having a serious discussion with Stoinis, who was all geared up and working on his batting. Stoinis appeared disheartened after their talk as he headed back to the dugout.

Pommie Mbangwa, a former Zimbabwe cricketer in the commentary booth, remarked, “They must have put a lot of thought into the team selection. It seems like this decision was made right here at the venue. Stoinis has his gloves and bat ready, but he’s just received some bad news. It’s tough to let anyone go.”

Read Also: Xavier Bartlett's Costly Error Irks Chahal, PBKS Survive Late Drama to Beat KKR

Get the latest Bollywood entertainment news, trending celebrity news, latest celebrity news, new movie reviews, latest entertainment news, latest Bollywood news, and Bollywood celebrity fashion & style updates!

HOW DID YOU LIKE THIS ARTICLE? CHOOSE YOUR EMOTICON!