Ricky Ponting throws massive hint on Glenn Maxwell's replacement in IPL 2025 for Punjab Kings

Punjab Kings (PBKS) all-rounder Glenn Maxwell has fractured a finger on his right hand and could miss the remainder of the IPL 2025 season. Fast bowler Lockie Ferguson is already sidelined by a serious injury earlier in the month, but head coach Ricky Ponting stated that they hadn't "decided about the replacements yet" for the injured players.

Maxwell was absent from Punjab Kings’ lineup in the recent clash against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) at the Chepauk Stadium in Chennai on Wednesday, April 30. The Australian all-rounder had featured in their previous match against the Kolkata Knight Riders in Kolkata. PBKS captain Shreyas Iyer revealed that Maxwell had sustained a finger fracture.

We Will Be Signing Some Replacements - Ricky Ponting

Ricky Ponting confirmed that the team has plans to bring in replacements for injured players. Ponting said that they have until their 12th match to finalize any signings.

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"We will be signing some replacements at some stage. We've got until our 12th game, so we have a couple of games to go yet. With the squad we've got, we're trying to find players in our squad anyway, we've got most bases covered," Ponting said.

"So we've got Azmatullah [Omarzai], Aaron Hardie, who hasn't played yet, Xavier Bartlett, who didn't play today, it's conditions-based. But when we get to Dharamsala, he will come back into the reckoning up there, where the ball might swing and bounce a little bit more," he added.

Punjab Kings must finalize their replacement signings ahead of their 12th IPL match. They will play their 11th fixture against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) on May 4. PBKS will play their 12th match against Delhi Capitals on May 8. The team has a week to make decisions on replacements.

There's Not a Lot of High-Quality Replacements Out There - Ricky Ponting

Ricky Ponting said that the team has been patient with the injury situation. He also pointed out that finding high-quality replacements has been challenging, with the PSL taking place. Ponting added a few players trained with the team and will be traveling to Dharamsala.

"So we've actually been a little bit patient. Maxi's only been a couple of days, Lockie's has been two or three weeks. And with the PSL happening at the same time, there's not a lot of high-quality replacements out there, to be honest. So we've just been patient," Ricky Ponting said.

"We're having a look around at Indian talent as well, and we're looking at what roles we might be able to fill with some younger Indian players. We'll actually take a couple of guys to Dharamsala with us. A couple of guys trained with us yesterday, and they will come with us to Dharamsala."

"We'll have a closer look at them, and they might find themselves with a Punjab contract going forward. It has to be this week, has to be before the 12th game, so stay tuned," Ricky Ponting further added.

Glenn Maxwell and Lockie Ferguson's Performances in IPL 2025

Glenn Maxwell’s second stint with Punjab Kings has been underwhelming so far. The 35-year-old all-rounder has scored just 48 runs in seven games, with a best score of 30. He has taken four wickets with the ball this season.

Maxwell had played for PBKS in 2020, where he amassed only 108 runs in 13 innings. He’ll be hoping for a stronger comeback if he returns to IPL action.

Lockie Ferguson picked up five wickets in four matches before being indefinitely ruled out of IPL 2025. He was replaced by Xavier Bartlett and Azmatullah Omarzai in the playing XI.

Punjab Kings are currently in second place on the table with 13 points, behind Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB). The Chennai Super Kings are the only team eliminated from playoff contention.

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