“We Are Not Overthinking…”: Sairaj Bahutule On PBKS Selection Calls & Missed Chances Against DC Amid Playoff Push

Punjab Kings slipped to a fourth straight defeat in IPL 2026 as they were defeated by DC by 3 wickets. However, all is not lost for Shreyas Iyer's side as the Playoffs race remains open for the side. Although the three-wicket loss to Delhi Capitals on May 11 in Dharamsala left the team under pressure, the Punjab Kings have not fallen out of the top four positions yet.

During the post-match presentations, spin bowling coach Sairaj Bahutule admitted the dressing room mood reflected the results, but stressed that the Punjab Kings are avoiding panic. Bahutule said the group is "disappointed" but does not want to "overthink or overanalyse" while chasing a Playoffs berth, even as captain Shreyas Iyer accepted that the side has been "short on planning". While reviewing Punjab Kings' batting approach, Bahutule felt the line-up left runs on the table. Bahutule believed the team could have added 15 to 20 more in the last over, based on the fast start, which would have taken the total beyond 240 and placed Delhi Capitals under greater pressure.

Iyer viewed the same score from a different angle, arguing that the pitch made Punjab Kings' 210 more than adequate. The captain said 210 was "30 runs more on the wicket" because the ball moved off the seam and sometimes bounced unevenly, suggesting the batting unit had already gone well beyond par. Punjab Kings were also hurt by mistakes in the field at decisive stages. Bahutule pointed to dropped catches that again proved costly. "If we had caught two catches, I don't think they would have maybe reached the target, but it would have been very difficult for them and maybe won the game by 20 runs".

PBKS' Struggle To Finish The Match

The match situation appeared comfortable for Punjab Kings when David Miller departed in the 17th over of Delhi Capitals' chase of 211. At that stage, Delhi Capitals still required 36 runs from 18 balls on a seaming surface, yet late-order batting from Ashutosh Sharma, Madhav Tiwari, and Auqib Nabi turned the contest.

Bahutule conceded that the Punjab Kings had the advantage deep into the innings but allowed the Delhi Capitals back. He said the side "didn't execute their skills" during the final five overs, which opened the door for Delhi Capitals to complete the target and hand Punjab Kings a three-wicket defeat in Dharamsala.

"There Was a Thought...": Shreyas Iyer on Using Yuzi

The game between PBKS and DC also saw the first game in IPL history in which both sides avoided spin altogether. On a surface that helped seam, the Punjab Kings relied fully on fast bowlers. Iyer revealed there was a moment when leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal almost bowled, but conditions persuaded Punjab Kings to persist with pace. "There was absolutely a thought in my mind," Iyer said, "but the way the ball was seaming and the way it was helping seamers, I think if we had executed our line and length precisely, we could have been able to extract wickets, but unfortunately again, we didn't."

Bahutule backed that view from the Punjab Kings staff, revealing discussions during a time-out. "Definitely there was a thought during the time-out, but I think the ball was seaming and the conditions were suitable for the fast bowlers," Bahutule said. "So I think the decision was very spontaneous to continue with the fast bowlers and see how we can get those wickets, which we did early on". Iyer further defended the death-overs strategy from the Punjab Kings, where bowlers targeted the pitch rather than go for yorkers. "I always say that hard length, short of hard length, is the best ball, especially when a new batsman is coming in.

"It's not easy to hit because if you keep repeating those balls, at least one, there's one ball, there's a chance of, you know, mis-hitting and you can get a wicket. We've been short on planning".

PBKS Team Selection Blunders And The Road Ahead

Team selection for Punjab Kings also drew attention, as Xavier Bartlett was left out despite strong displays earlier in the tournament. With Lockie Ferguson unavailable, Punjab Kings opted for Ben Dwarshuis, adding another left-arm seamer considered well-suited to the seaming conditions after consistent work in the nets.

Bahutule explained the Punjab Kings' choice in detail. "With Lockie (Ferguson) not available for this game, we thought of giving Ben that opportunity. He's also been bowling really well in the nets, performing well besides the games, so I think it was very important that we give that opportunity to a left-arm seamer who was doing well in the nets and constantly working with the group, and I think he did reasonably. Yes, it's not like Bartlett hasn't been doing well for us, but I think we thought of the combination which would suit us on this particular pitch".

Punjab Kings now look towards matches against Mumbai Indians, Royal Challengers Bengaluru, and Lucknow Super Giants, with two opponents already eliminated and at the foot of the standings. Bahutule urged the Punjab Kings group to park the Dharamsala loss, focus on these three fixtures, and "move ahead and play the next three games to the best of our ability".