Marcus Stoinis drops 'COVID-19 positive' bombshell after destroying DC in IPL 2025

The 35-year-old Australia National Cricket Team and Punjab Kings (PBKS) batting all-rounder Marcus Stoinis made a shocking revelation after decimating the Delhi Capitals (DC) in the 66th match of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025.

Marcus Stoinis revealed that he had tested positive for COVID-19 during the IPL 2025 break when he was in Australia. The match between PBKS and DC is currently underway at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur.

Also Read: 'Yuzvendra Chahal is injured?': Twitter shocked as PBKS drop leg-spinner for DC clash

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Unfortunately, I had Covid-19 which we don't speak about much anymore - Marcus Stoinis

Marcus Stoinis switched on his beast mode against the Delhi Capitals bowlers and absolutely annihilated them in the match. He came to bat at the No.7 spot and played a quickfire innings to power his team to a total of 206/8.

Stoinis slammed 44 runs off 16 balls, including three fours and four sixes. He, especially, took the premier DC pacers Mukesh Kumar and Mohit Sharma to the cleaners and made the experienced seamers look absolutely clueless.

During the mid-innings break, Marcus Stoinis spoke to broadcasters and revealed that he didn't have any net sessions during the IPL break as he had Covid-19. He said:

"I actually didn't have any nets before this game. Unfortunately I had Covid-19 which we don't speak about much anymore. It was a nice welcome home. I rested at my home and then came back here."

Marcus Stoinis also took a cheeky dig a the DC bowlers for not bowling a lot of slowers and advised PBKS bowlers to follow that strategy in the second innings. He said:

"It's always difficult when you go out in the middle at the end and go one mode. It was really good for me there. I was surprised that they didn't bowl much slower balls as I was setting up quite early. That's probably something we could do. It's a really good surface."

I am fit to bowl if required - Marcus Stoinis

Stoinis, who is also known as the Hulk, further spoke about the pitch on offer for the game and stated that it was holding a bit. He also declared him fully fit to bowl.

"The wicket was holding a bit but I was swinging it a bit too early. The wind is coming from the longer part of the boundary. I think it's worth using that breeze. If we need to change tactics, we will adapt as quickly as we can. I am fit to bowl if required," Marcus Stoinis said.

Meanwhile, the score registered by PBKS against DC became the highest innings total in PBKS-DC matches in the Indian Premier League history.

Highest Innings Totals by PBKS vs DC in IPL:

206/8, Jaipur, 2025,

202/6, Delhi, 2011

198/8, Dharamsala, 2023

Also, Punjab Kings equalled GT and Warwickshire's record for most 200-plus totals in a season of a T20 competition, and all seven of their 200-plus scores have come while batting first, which is a world record.

Most 200-plus totals in an IPL edition

7* - PBKS in 2025

7* - GT in 2025

6 - MI in 2023

6 - KKR in 2024

6 - SRH in 2024

6 - RCB in 2024

Most 200-plus totals in a T20 competition

7 - PBKS in IPL 2025

7 - GT in IPL 2025

7 - Warwickshire in T20 Blast 2022

Punjab Kings' overseas players slammed

In an interaction on ESPNCricinfo ahead of the match, the IPL-winning coach, Tom Moody, slammed the overseas players of the Punjab Kings. He said that the foreign players in the PBKS squad, barring Marco Jansen, are yet to fire. He elaborated:

"To be fair, I think, to be brutally honest, the overseas players for Punjab haven't really turned up. They haven't really performed. And there's two arguments to that. One is that they haven't been able to because of the dominance of the domestic players that we've talked about, which has been brilliant. And on the other hand, you know, you can look at it and just say, well, they're just clearly out of form.

"Probably you can put aside Marco Jansen. You know, he's had a very solid contribution throughout. So they're overseas players. There's been a bit of a rolling sort of opportunity for the various players have come and gone. But they certainly haven't had the impact."