Arshdeep Singh practices on the eve pf Punjab Kings vs Lucknow Super Giants match at Dharamsala. (Credit: Punjab Kings)
As Punjab Kings headed to Dharamsala, the lofty Himalayan ranges would have provided a reminder of the challenge that lies ahead of them, despite the relatively comfortable position they find themselves on the points table.
From the start of the season, they have looked the part, a unit pulling in the same direction. With six wins from 10 matches and 13 points under their belt, they could afford to enjoy the snow-capped Dhauladhar ranges that form the backdrop of the HPCA Stadium. But the next week in Dharamsala, where they face Lucknow Super Giants, Delhi Capitals and Mumbai Indians – all in contention for the play-offs – would undoubtedly decide their fate with a first play-off appearance since 2014, and only their third since the start of the league, remains very much in sight.
Dharamsala is Punjab Kings’ second home, and usually hosts their fixtures towards the business end of the league phase. It also happens to be a venue where home advantage counts for little.
Out of the past 17 seasons, they have used the HPCA Stadium in six seasons. Between 2010-2013, they played nine matches and won five, but since returning there in 2023 after a 10-year hiatus, they have lost all four matches.
“We head up to Dharamsala now where we’re not exactly sure what sort of surface we’ll get,” head coach Ricky Ponting said. “Over the years, it hasn’t been a wicket that’s aided spin a lot, but when you’ve got a quality leg-spinner like (Yuzvendra) Chahal, it doesn’t matter what surface you play on.”
In their last match in Chennai, Chahal showed his class, stopping the hosts from getting a total that would have been beyond Punjab. At Dharamsala, Punjab would need him more than at any other venue. Pitches have begun to get slower across all venues due to the high temperatures, but at Dharamsala, the conditions would be a lot different.
Since the outfield at the stadium underwent major renovation ahead of the 2023 World Cup, it has mostly favoured seamers, with spinners mostly coming to the fore in afternoon fixtures, but two of the three games lined up in Dharamsala are in the evening when Punjab would need their pace pack to do most of the damage. Apart from being a small ground, the altitude makes it relatively easier for batsmen to clear the rope.
It isn’t as if Punjab are suddenly waking up to the challenge. In their team meetings this season, they have stressed on the need to be in a good position when they head to Dharamsala. They will have a bit of breathing space with their last league fixture scheduled in Jaipur.
“It’s our home ground. We should know the conditions better than anybody else. We should be able to play the conditions better than anybody else. We’ve got two training days before our game. So, we’ll have a chance to look at the conditions and work them out,” Ponting said.
While the likes of Delhi Capitals (Vizag) and Rajasthan Royals (Guwahati) also played at two ‘home’ venues, they staged the games at their adopted homes at the start of the season. Punjab, on the other hand, have preferred to finish their ‘home’ campaign at Dharamsala. They did have a pre-season camp up in the hilly terrain as they knew it would come handy when their play-off hopes will be in the balance.
“The one thing in our favour – actually, we had a four-five day camp up in Dharamsala before this season started. Everyone went there except for a couple of the overseas guys. So our Indian guys will have a good understanding of what the conditions will be like up there. I know it’s a slightly different time of year now, but we’ve got a pretty good idea. So, we want to make that a place where teams are going to find it hard to win. Hopefully, we can win three games up there,” their head coach added.
More than Punjab’s bowling unit, all eyes will be on how quickly their batsmen get acclimatised. Having embraced a bold approach with their top three (Prabhsimran Singh, Priyansh Arya and Shreyas Iyer) given the licence to make maximum impact in the Powerplay, they may have to tread cautiously in conditions where the new ball could provide more assistance to the seamers. Their middle order is short of runs. That Lucknow, Delhi and Mumbai too have a lot to play for means that in the cool climes of Dharamsala, the race for play-offs may send the temperatures soaring.
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