Chandigarh, March 24 -- Punjab Kings have kicked off their preparations for the upcoming Indian Premier League 2026. As head coach, Ricky Ponting joined the camp, and he delivered a strong message to the squad, telling players to focus on the process.

PBKS, the last year's runners-up, will be starting off their season against 2022 champions Gujarat Titans (GT) at New Chandigarh on March 31. Last year, PBKS emerged as a formidable unit under the leadership of captain Shreyas Iyer and head coach Ponting, but six runs became the separation point between them and their maiden IPL title as Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) ended their 18-year wait at Ahmedabad.

Speaking during the training, as quoted by the PBKS press release, Ponting said, ...