IPL 2026: Irfan Pathan reacts to PBKS star missing early matches, makes bold claim
Irfan Pathan has reacted to a key Punjab Kings player missing the early part of IPL 2026, stating that the role can be managed by others despite the potential challenge.
Last Updated: 12.55 PM, Mar 25, 2026
India’s former all-rounder Irfan Pathan heaped praises on Punjab Kings (PBKS) all-rounder Lockie Ferguson, who will not be available for the first few matches in the tournament. He has decided to take a few days off and spend some time with his new born baby and wife. Hence, PBKS will have to look at other options like Marco Jansen, Azmatullah Omarzai, and others.
Meanwhile, Irfan has mentioned that Ferguson is a ‘hit-the-deck’ fast bowler and no one will be able to replace him. He has done well for New Zealand in the T20 World Cup and the ongoing series against South Africa. Hence, PBKS will surely miss the services of the all-rounder at the start of the IPL 2026.
“The important thing is that Ferguson, who is not available at the start, plays a key role because he is a ‘hit-the-deck’ fast bowler. That role is probably something no one else can fully take on. You have Azmatullah Omarzai, you have Marco Jansen, you have Arshdeep Singh, and you have Vijaykumar Vyshak. But the high pace that Ferguson brings, and the role he plays in this team, will be missing. So how the team manages at the start will also be a challenge for Punjab,”said Irfan Pathan on his YouTube channel.
Also read: Who is Saurabh Dubey, the left-arm pacer who replaced Akash Deep in the KKR squad for IPL 2026?
We are now seeing an upgraded version: Irfan Pathan
The former all-rounder has also placed his bets on Marco Jansen, who has evolved a lot in international cricket. Irfan stated that the world is seeing an ‘upgraded version’ of Jansen and the PBKS skipper Shreyas Iyer should give him a challenging role for the tournament to see how far he can go.
“I think Shreyas should give a very challenging role, especially to Marco Jansen, because I feel we are now seeing an upgraded version of Marco in international cricket. It will be interesting to see how he is utilized.”