'Punjab Kings looking completely different this year' - Piyush Chawla's take on clinical performance by PBKS against LSG

Punjab Kings (PBKS) have made a dream start to their IPL 2025 campaign, winning both their opening matches and making themselves strong title contenders. Their recent victory came against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in Lucknow on Tuesday, where they secured a dominant eight-wicket win.

The side made the 172-run chase look easy against LSG. Prabhsimran Singh impressed everyone with his 69 off 34 balls, forming an 84-run stand with skipper Shreyas Iyer. The Mumbai batter remained unbeaten on 52 off 30 deliveries, guiding the team home alongside Nehal Wadhera, who smashed a quickfire 43* off 25 balls.

With this win, Punjab now sits at second place in the points table, just behind Royal Challengers Bengaluru. Under the leadership of Iyer, the team has looked very well-balanced, with players stepping up at crucial times. Former Indian spinner Piyush Chawla was full of praise for Punjab’s approach and Iyer’s captaincy, and mentioned that the team is looking strong and different and is expected to do something big this season. 

"His (Iyer's) thought process is always different because he knows how to find ways to win. A captain's success also depends on the setup around him, as a leader can only be as good as the players supporting him. Punjab Kings covered all their bases in the auction, assembling a well-balanced squad. Their middle order is strong, Nehal Wadhera, coming in as an impact player, played a crucial knock. When you have depth on the bench, it gives you flexibility and strong backup options. That’s why Punjab Kings are looking like a completely different team this year," Chawla said on JioStar.

Arshdeep executed his role beautifully: Kane Williamson

Punjab’s bowling attack has been an important factor in their early success, with Arshdeep Singh leading the attack from the front. The left-arm pacer delivered another brilliant performance against LSG, picking up three wickets, including the early scalp of Mitchell Marsh. New Zealand ace batter Kane Williamson spoke about Arshdeep’s ability to adapt to conditions and make an impact whenever expected of him.

"He is a high-quality bowler and has been part of the Indian setup for quite some time now. On that surface, he understood that patience and hitting the right areas would yield results for seam bowlers. He picked up crucial wickets, and if this wasn't considered a great day for Arshdeep, then a truly great day would probably be taking three or four wickets for 20 runs, which would exceed anyone’s expectations. His early breakthrough was key—dismissing Mitchell Marsh, who has been giving his team strong starts, made a huge impact. Controlling the powerplay often sets the tone for the game, and Arshdeep executed his role beautifully, both at the start and in the final over," Williamson said.

Meanwhile, Chawla also spoke about LSG skipper Rishabh Pant, who has had a disappointing run with the bat so far. The southpaw in three innings has scored just 17 runs including a six-ball duck against Delhi Capitals. The former leg spinner opened up on whether the huge price tag has affected Pant's performance.

"Knowing Rishabh Pant, I don't think it's the price tag that's affecting him. However, he is currently not in the best of form. He has been out of the Indian white-ball circuit, and coming into this tournament as the captain of a franchise, there were high expectations of him. A lot happened last year, and naturally, a lot was expected from him this season. Unfortunately, both his team’s campaign and his personal form haven’t started well. His dismissal today was particularly disappointing—it was a ball that could have been put away anywhere, yet he found the fielder at short fine leg. His reaction afterward, that knowing smile, suggested he is aware he’s going through a rough patch where things just aren’t going his way," Chawla concluded.