IPL 2026: ‘We can still win this thing,’ says Punjab Kings’ head of sports science Andrew Leipus

Punjab Kings’ head of sports science Andrew Leipus said that the team was composed in its preparation for the match against Royal Challengers Bengaluru on Sunday despite its result having huge ramification on its season.

“It’s my 19th IPL, so I’ve been around a lot of cricket teams. I think people on the outside expect guys to be dejected, but it’s not been like that at all. It’s been very positive, the guys have stuck together. I think the guys are up for it. We’re still in the game, we still have two more matches, we can still win this thing,” Leipus said on Saturday.

After five defeats on the trot, Punjab needs to win both its remaining games and hope Rajasthan Royals loses at least once in three games to get through to the Playoffs.

Leipus said that the experience of Shreyas Iyer, who had won a title with Kolkata Knight Riders in 2024, is helping the team keep a lid on the nervous energy before Punjab’s must-win games.

“Shreyas is still incredibly confident and positive, and leading from the front, on and off the field. He’s a very sociable guy. He doesn’t stand apart from anyone else. He’s in the mix, he’s at breakfast with everyone. He’s not like a king, I believe with some other franchises [that] might be the case. We’ve got quite a young team and they’re hopefully picking up on those vibes and staying calm,” Leipus said.

Leipus also defended frontline pacer Arshdeep Singh, who has been criticised for over-indulging on social media platforms.

“I know there’s been a bit of chatter behind the scenes going on, vlogging and what not. In terms of his behaviour, Arshdeep is pretty much the same. He’s not up or down. He gives his best out there. He’s been feeling a lot better in the last couple of weeks, physically. Overall, he’s pretty consistent with his behaviour and his attitude. He’s a very loud person in the dressing room. That hasn’t changed. He’s not up and down, he’s very calm,” Leipus said.

RCB backing Bethell to come good

Royal Challengers Bengaluru bowling coach Omkar Salvi said Jacob Bethell deserved a long rope despite a slew of middling scores at the top, a position he is not accustomed to.

“I think Bethell has proven himself on the world stage that he is a great batsman. And in this format, I think he is a world-class player. So, it doesn’t matter what position he is batting in. He is such a mature player that he adapts himself and we have seen him performing well. So, it is not a problem for us,” Salvi said.

Salvi also heaped praise on Bhuvneshwar Kumar, who leads the Purple Cap standings with 22 wickets in 12 games.

On what has brought out the best in Bhuvneshwar despite approaching the twilight of his career, Salvi said: “I think looking at his experience, he understands his body well. He knows what are the fitness components he needs to work over, and he has worked religiously upon it. That has reflected on his bowling.”

Published on May 16, 2026