After losing to PBKS by five wickets in their previous encounter, RCB made a strong comeback in the first innings of their rematch in Mullanpur. The team, led by Shreyas Iyer, experienced a significant batting collapse early on. PBKS started off well during the powerplay, but Josh Hazlewood and Bhuvneshwar Kumar struggled to find their rhythm with the new ball. Krunal Pandya was brought in early and made an impact by taking the first wicket in the fifth over, which set the tone for PBKS's struggles during the middle overs. (PBKS vs RCB, IPL 2025 Live Score)

RCB's spinners were on fire, with Krunal claiming two wickets and Suyash Sharma also contributing. Additionally, Hazlewood and Bhuvneshwar delivered impressive death bowling, allowing RCB to restrict PBKS to just 28 runs in the final four overs, resulting in a total of 157/6 after 20 overs.

Marcus Stoinis's dismissal was particularly surprising, especially since PBKS needed him to finish strong. Coming in at No. 7, he was expected to bolster the innings but was out for just one run after facing only two balls. He fell victim to a slow googly from Suyash, which deceived him in flight, turning to hit the stumps and leaving PBKS reeling at 114/6 in 13.5 overs. Earlier in the same over, Suyash also dismissed Josh Inglis (29).

Stoinis has been under pressure to deliver and hasn't lived up to his hefty price tag. He was even dropped from the recent KKR match at the last moment. Viral photos on social media captured a downcast Stoinis receiving the news from head coach Ricky Ponting.

Ambati Rayudu suggested, "He might be feeling upset about something"

Looking at Stoinis’ dismissal and PBKS’ downfall, former cricketer Ambati Rayudu suggested that the team’s atmosphere might be a factor. He also pointed out that Stoinis’ lower batting position raises questions about the team management. With Ricky Ponting stepping in as head coach for PBKS ahead of IPL 2025, there’s a lot of pressure on him to produce results.

“I think they’re struggling to find the right balance in their approach. Krunal and Suyash bowled exceptionally well, but you’d expect a seasoned player like Stoinis to recognize a googly after all his years in international cricket. It’s rare to see top players miss those. Perhaps he’s not fully focused, or maybe there’s something bothering him about the team dynamics or his batting spot,” Rayudu shared during a discussion on Star Sports.

Stoinis was acquired by PBKS for ₹11 crores after a fierce bidding war, starting from a base price of ₹2 crores. They also made a significant investment in Shreyas Iyer, bringing him on board for ₹26.75 crores and naming him captain.

Read Also: IPL 2025 PBKS vs RCB Live: Virat Kohli and Devdutt Padikkal Steady the Chase After Early Salt Dismissal

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