Ravichandran Ashwin may feel a special connection to Chennai Super Kings, but his latest comments also carry clear frustration over how Punjab Kings have been handled in recent IPL 2026 fixtures. After starting with a strong run—remaining unbeaten in seven straight matches—Punjab then slid into a five-match losing streak. Notably, two of those setbacks arrived in Dharamsala, Punjab’s second listed home ground.
While several of the league’s most established franchises continue to stage their home matches at a single venue, Ashwin questioned why Punjab have been asked to split their home calendar between different stadiums. He pointed to teams such as Mumbai Indians, Chennai Super Kings, Kolkata Knight Riders, and Sunrisers Hyderabad—franchises that have traditionally delivered consistent home-season stability—as a contrast to Punjab’s shifting routine.
Quick facts
- Punjab Kings went unbeaten in seven consecutive matches before losing five straight games.
- Two of Punjab’s losses during that stretch came in Dharamsala, their second home venue.
- Ashwin questioned why Punjab use two different home venues when several top franchises play all home games at one stadium.
- He said Punjab now need to win both remaining matches to seal a top-four finish.
- One of Punjab’s remaining games is scheduled at Dharamsala.
In a video posted on his YouTube channel, Ashwin challenged the logic behind Punjab selecting two different home bases, especially when leading sides have not altered their home venue approach. He underlined the trophy record of those franchises to argue that stability has long been part of their success.
“Let me ask you a question. KKR, CSK, and MI—the three franchises that have won the most trophies—3, 5, and 5 respectively across 19 seasons; that makes 13 trophies altogether. SRH have won two more (as Deccan Chargers and SRH). So, that’s 15. Have these teams ever changed their home venue?” Ashwin said in the video.
Ashwin then moved from the statistical argument to his personal experience, insisting that the shift has real impact on performance. He referenced his own time with the Punjab setup and described how a venue change has previously disrupted their momentum.
“People can say from the outside that Punjab aren’t doing well, but I know it’s wrong because I’ve been there. We won five matches in Mohali, then we changed venues and got knocked out of the tournament,” he added.
Why Ashwin blames the venue shuffle
From Ashwin’s perspective, the difficulty is not simply “form” or “pressure”—it is adaptation. He believes the wicket at Dharamsala demands patience early, with the ball behaving differently than what teams are used to at their more regular home base.
He also tied the venue point directly to the Shreyas Iyer-led side’s recent dip. Punjab, Ashwin said, have been unable to adjust quickly enough to the conditions, and that has contributed to the poor output they have shown in the last stretch of matches.
“So I’m saying yes, Punjab have suffered consecutive defeats, but it’s not like they’re playing in Mullanpur. They’re playing in Dharamsala, where the wicket isn’t that good if you’re batting first. The ball stays a little low in the first half, so it takes time for them to adapt,” Ashwin explained.
He went on to describe how that adaptation gap shows up in batting numbers. In his assessment, Punjab’s batting order ends up scoring noticeably fewer runs—either 30–40 runs less, or even around 20 fewer—because the batters need time to settle into the surface and tempo.
“Their batting order is scoring 30–40 runs fewer, or 20 runs fewer, because they have to adapt. We can all say Punjab are struggling and have suffered five consecutive defeats, or ‘this is what happens in Punjab’. But no—those games include matches played at a changed home venue,” he said.
With only the remaining schedule of IPL 2026 left to play out, Ashwin acknowledged there’s little that can be altered on the calendar itself. However, he argued the organisers can still be questioned on the bigger principle: why Punjab are required to move between different home venues while other teams continue at a single stadium.
He closed by framing it as a direct challenge to the tournament’s decision-makers—highlighting that the same franchise expectation is not being applied across the league. Punjab currently sit in a position where they must win both of their last matches to keep their top-four hopes alive, and one of those crucial games will be played in Dharamsala.
