The IPL 2026 retention list had a number of surprises, but the biggest shock was probably the decisions of Kolkata Knight Riders and Punjab Kings. PBKS, especially, shocked fans by letting go of star England wicketkeeper-batter Josh Inglis and Australian all-rounder Glenn Maxwell before the auction.
As voices of disbelief and censure kept coming, Punjab Kings head coach Ricky Ponting took the initiative to explain the daring decisions, giving out the reasons why Inglis and Maxwell were not among the retained players.
Ricky Ponting explains why PBKS released Inglis and Maxwell
Ponting revealed that Inglis’ unavailability for the majority of IPL 2026 was a major factor in letting him go.
“Josh is a terrific player. I would have loved to have had him as part of our squad going forward. But this year, he wasn’t going to be available for the majority of the tournament. So for that reason, I found it pretty much impossible to be able to retain him,” Ponting told Star Sports after the retention announcement.
On Glenn Maxwell, who managed only 48 runs and four wickets in seven matches last season, Ponting was clear that current form and team balance were decisive.
“Love Glenn and what he brings to the game. Unfortunately, last year we weren’t able to get the best out of him. Looking ahead to this season, we didn’t feel he would be part of our starting team, so we decided to release him,” he said.
Despite the big releases, the 2025 runners-up retained 21 players and head into the December 16 IPL mini auction with four available slots including two overseas spots, to strengthen their squad.
