IPL 2026: Punjab management admits Arshdeep Singh battled physical issues all season

Has Punjab Kings (PBKS) been fielding an under-par Arshdeep Singh throughout this season thus far? Perhaps. The left-arm premium quick has leaked runs at an economy of 9.7 this season, picking 13 wickets in 12 contested matches. Although he bowled well in his phases, inconsistency with death bowling and yorkers has cost Punjab dearly. Despite leading the points table at one point at least until the last week of April, PBKS now find themselves in a do-or-die situation in the playoff race. They face the defending champions and table toppers, RCB, next, and reports of Arshdeep's body feeling restricted would unlikely help their cause.

Arshdeep has, however, been in the news for the wrong reasons lately. Be it for overusing social media, including exposing his teammate (Yuzvendra Chahal) vaping on a flight on a now-edited YouTube vlog, or breaking BCCI rules surrounding players’ partners’ involvement in or around their respective IPL teams. But what has hurt his performance or his team’s morale more is his fitness, which has now been under the scanner as the playoff stage approaches.

“We’ve been working together a little bit and looking at his body if there’s any restrictions in his body that might be a reason for some of his performances being up and down. We think we’ve hit on a bit of a winner there. He’s been feeling a lot better in the last couple of weeks, physically,” Andrew Leipus, Punjab Kings’ head of sports science, said in a chat with the Times of India (TOI).

Speaking on the off-field chatter and if it impacts his game, Leipus said, “I know there’s been a bit of chatter behind the scenes of various things going on — vlogging and whatnot. In terms of his behaviour and attitude, Arsh is pretty much a flat line. He's not up or down. He gives his best out there. He’s a very loud person in the dressing room. That hasn't changed. He’s very calm.

“One of the best things the ICC ever did was take phones away. When you're in that team environment, it's not an issue. It’s outside that when it becomes an issue. I've heard rumours. I think potentially it is something that needs to be addressed,” he continued.

Meanwhile, Arshdeep’s bowling performance isn’t the only issue with the Punjab side, who now face RCB in their last home game on Sunday afternoon. Sitting in the fourth place with 13 points from 12 contested matches, PBKS needs to win their remaining two matches to push its case for a playoff spot. For that to happen, PBKS’ bowling must click as a unit, with others also needing to pull up their socks.