Watch: Deep Dasgupta highlights ‘negative mindset’ behind Punjab Kings’ poor fielding in IPL 2026

During the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 clash between the Sunrisers Hyderabad and the Punjab Kings at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad, the visiting side dropped four catches, three of which were of Ishan Kishan and one of Heinrich Klaasen.

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It wasn’t like a tough catch, but the Shreyas Iyer-led side hasn’t been able to grab the regulation catches, and Shashank Singh, unfortunately, has found himself in the wrong bracket again for his fielding errors. Those drops cost the 2014 runners-up a lot as they faced their second successive defeat of the season. 

Deep Dasgupta points out ‘negative mindset’ as key reason behind PBKS fielding lapses

The former Indian wicket-keeper, Deep Dasgupta, believes that the negative mindset of Shashank hasn’t helped him in this process. He felt that the body tends to move differently once a fielder wishes to be away from the ball.

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“To be fair, I have been there in that position as well, where you have dropped a couple, and then you’re thinking, geez, I hope I don’t drop another one. And suddenly, rather than wanting the ball to come at you, you are trying to stay away from it. And that is a negative mindset. Your body suddenly starts reacting that way. And maybe that’s the case with Shashank right now.” Dasgupta expressed on ESPNcricinfo.

“I mean, listen, generally speaking, he is a very safe catch. It’s not that he’s a bad fielder. And it’s a difficult thing to get out of as well. I mean, he needs one good confident catch, like proper technique and everything else for him to start feeling good again.” He revealed.

Katey Martin also joined him in the conversation by admitting that the attitude level was not up to the mark for the PBKS fielders in grabbing the catches.

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“Fielding is an attitude thing, and the worst feeling in the world is that you don’t want the ball. So, when you don’t want the ball, you sort of start shying away and not maybe getting yourself in that position, but having the attitude that I want the ball, you need to get the positions.” The former Kiwi player addressed.

Punjab Kings suffer defeat to Sunrisers Hyderabad as fielding errors prove costly

Kishan was dropped thrice in that innings after which he slammed 55 runs off 32 balls at a strike rate of 171.88, thanks to two boundaries and four sixes, while Klaasen cracked 69 runs in 43 balls at a strike rate of 160.47, shouldering on three boundaries and four sixes.

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Due to the defeat by 33 runs, the Punjab Kings lost their top spot in the points table and dropped to the second spot at the net run rate of +0.571. Meanwhile, the Sunrisers Hyderabad go to the top with seven wins in 11 games at the NRR of +0.737.