While Punjab Kings didn't retain Josh Inglis ahead of the IPL 2026 mini-auction, Lucknow Super Giants later signed the Australian cricketer by winning the mini-auction bid for INR 8.6 crore. Now, Inglis revealed that he wouldn't be available for the entire IPL 2026, and we are talking about the reason that he also revealed. 

I'm getting married in early April: Josh Inglis

Australian wicketkeeper-batter Josh Inglis will marry in early April 2026. As the IPL 2026 will run between March 26 and May 31, he is unlikely to be available for the entire season. 

Lucknow Super Giants were concentrating on strengthening their team at the mini-auction for the IPL 2026 season by adding more strenght to their bowling department. They also made some crucial signings in the mini-auction, which include Wanindu Hasaranga and Anrich Nortje, both purchased for ₹2 crores at the base price of the players. 

LSG’s biggest buy at the auction was Australian wicketkeeper-batter Josh Inglis, for whom the team spent ₹8.6 crore. Inglis adds power and flexibility to the batting order. The franchise also invested in young Indian talent by signing uncapped Madhya Pradesh batter Akshat Raghuvanshi for ₹2.2 crore. These moves show LSG’s plan to build a stronger and more balanced squad.

The last two years have been unsatisfactory for Lucknow Super Giants. In IPL 2025, LSG finished seventh with many changes in their lineup. Rishabh Pant replaced KL Rahul as their team captain, and Zaheer Khan joined as a team mentor. Prior to the IPL 2026 auction, many important players of LSG were released, including Ravi Bishnoi, Akash Deep, and David Miller. Along with this, Shardul Thakur was traded for a deal with Mumbai Indians, and Mohammad Shami and Arjun Tendulkar were also acquired by trade.

See Also: IPL Auction 2026: Full squad and new bought players for Sunrisers Hyderabad

Lucknow Super Giants Bought Players at IPL 2026 Auction

Josh Inglis (₹8.6 crore), Mukul Choudhary (₹2.6 crore), Akshat Raghuvanshi (₹2.2 crore), Anrich Nortje (₹2.2 crore), Wanindu Hasaranga (₹2 crore), Naman Tiwary (₹1 crore).

Lucknow Super Giants Full Squad for IPL 2026

Nicholas Pooran, Abdul Samad, Ayush Badoni, Aiden Markram, Matthew Breetzke, Himmat Singh, Mitchell Marsh, Shahbaz Ahmed, Arshin Kulkarni, Mayank Yadav, Avesh Khan, Mohsin Khan, M Siddharth, Digvesh Rathi, Prince Yadav, Akash Singh, Josh Inglis, Mukul Choudhary, Akshat Raghuvanshi, Anrich Nortje, Wanindu Hasaranga, Naman Tiwary.

Australian wicketkeeper-batter Josh Inglis, who was released by Punjab Kings ahead of the IPL 2026 auction, has confirmed that he will be available for only four matches in the 2026 season of the Indian Premier League. The 30-year-old, who has two T20I centuries for Australia, has reportedly entered the IPL 2026 auction with a base price of ₹2 crore. But before the auction in Abu Dhabi on December 16, he made it clear that he can play just four games.

According to a report by Cricbuzz on Thursday (December 4), out of the 1355 players who registered for the IPL 2026 auction, five have informed the BCCI about their limited availability.

As per the report, “Inglis has informed the BCCI that he would feature in only 25 per cent of IPL 2026. In simple terms, he has told the franchises through the Board that he can take part in no more than four matches."

Also Read -Meet Deeya Yadav: MS Dhoni Fan and Ambidextrous Bowler Who Created History at the WPL Mega Auction

Inglis Shines for PBKS in IPL 2025

Inglis was one of the top performers for Punjab Kings in IPL 2025. He played 11 matches for the Shreyas Iyer-led side and scored 278 runs. In the team’s last league match against Mumbai Indians in Jaipur, he scored 73 runs from 42 balls and helped PBKS chase 185 to win by 7 wickets. He also played an important knock in the second qualifier against MI in Ahmedabad.

🚨 🚨

Ahead of #IPLAuction, Josh Inglis has notified the franchises via the BCCI that he can play no more than four games in #IPL2026.

He’s listed at a ₹2 crore base price. pic.twitter.com/6bCLrXnoCB

— Cricbuzz (@cricbuzz) December 4, 2025

Why PBKS Released Him Before IPL 2026

When PBKS released Inglis ahead of the IPL 2026 auction, head coach Ricky Ponting said the decision was made because of his limited availability.

“Josh Inglis played some great knocks for us in the second half of the season,” Ponting said on Star Sports after PBKS announced their retentions. “He missed a few games due to different reasons. He also told me this year that he would not be available for most of the next season. Because of that, it was almost impossible to retain him,” Ponting added.

Reports also say that Inglis is planning to get married next year, and that is why he won’t be able to play the full IPL 2026 season.

Australia will miss their veteran premier leg spinner, Adam Zampa, and wicket-keeper, Josh Inglis, for the opening ODI clash against India at Perth, starting on September 19. The former is missing due to paternity reasons, while Inglis hasn’t fully recovered from the calf-strain that kept him out of the T20I series against New Zealand.

The selectors have called Mathew Kuhnemann and Josh Phillippe for the India games as replacements. The latter is set to keep wickets for the first time in an ODI while Alex Carey plays a Sheffield Shield game as part of their Ashes 2025-26 preparation. Inglis has also been ruled out of the second ODI in Adelaide when Carey returns to the squad.

See Also: Mohmmed Siraj collapses after long spell to get king-like treatment during IND vs WI 2nd Test in Delhi

Zampa’s wife is in the late stages of pregnancy with their second child. He has decided to stay at home in NSW, as Perth is a challenging place to return from. He is expected to return for the next two games in Adelaide and Sydney before the following five-match T20I series, all of which will be played on the east coast.

Adam Zampa and Josh Inglis to miss Australia’s opening Perth ODI vs India

Kuhnemann has been called for the Perth game, which will be his first ODI in three years at home since facing Sri Lanka in 2022. He traveled across the world for the WTC final, a five-match T20I trip to the Caribbean, the three-match ODI and T20I series at home against South Africa, and the three-match T20I series against the Blackcaps, but featured in just one game in Jamaica.

Philippe hasn’t played an ODI since the Caribbean tour in 2021, when he played as a specialist batter. He hasn’t played any format for the national side since 2023, but has been an impressive performer for the A side in red-ball series and has an excellent one-day domestic record for NSW and Western Australia.

Australia’s updated ODI squad vs India

Mitchell Marsh (captain), Xavier Bartlett, Alex Carey (wk), Cooper Connolly, Ben Dwarshuis, Nathan Ellis, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis (wk), Matthew Kuhnemann, Mitchell Owen, Josh Philippe (wk), Matt Renshaw, Matthew Short, Mitchell Starc, Adam Zampa

Australia has made dramatic changes to their Test team for the forthcoming West Indies series, with two of their most seasoned batters missing the first match. Veteran Steve Smith has been sidelined for the opening Test with a finger injury, while Marnus Labuschagne has been dropped following a string of underwhelming performances. These changes come as Australia starts a new cycle of the World Test Championship and sets its sights on reshaping the central group of players.

With Smith out, wicketkeeper-batter Josh Inglis has been brought in to replace him. Inglis, who made an impression with a century on his Test debut in Sri Lanka, will look to cement his place. In the meantime, the exclusion of Labuschagne follows a period of persistent decline in form, topped by poor performances in the World Test Championship Final. Rising star Sam Konstas, aged only 19, has been chosen as his replacement. Konstas only made headlines recently with a blistering 60 against India, admired for his attacking strokeplay and maturity.

Chief selector George Bailey clarified that the door remains open for Labuschagne, stating, “Marnus at his best can be a really important member of this team … we will continue working with him.” He also mentioned that Smith’s finger injury will be reassessed before the second Test in Grenada. The first Test is set to begin on June 25 in Barbados, followed by matches in Grenada and Trinidad.

Australia’s new Test phase begins in the Caribbean

With several experienced players sidelined, this series offers a fresh start for Australia as they transition towards a younger core. The addition of Konstas and Inglis is a move toward recognizing domestic form and looking toward challenges ahead, including the upcoming Ashes.

See Also: Sachin Tendulkar predicts India will win ENG vs IND Test series 3-1

This reshuffled squad brings both uncertainty and potential. Fans will certainly miss the services of stalwarts such as Smith and Labuschagne, but the West Indies tour is an opportunity for the next generation of players to come forward and leave their mark in the longest version of the game.

Punjab Kings created history in Qualifier 2 of IPL 2025 by brushing Mumbai Indians aside in a thrilling run chase. They have now booked their ticket for the epic grand final and will face off against RCB on June 3 at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. It is also their second appearance in the IPL final since the 2014 edition. 

After being down and out against RCB in the first Qualifier, PBKS were completely written off by the experts. It all seemed that PBKS's journey was coming to a swift end. Their star-studded batting featuring their skipper Shreyas Iyer imploded catastrophically, handing RCB one of their biggest wins in terms of wickets & overs remaining. 

It seemed as though PBKS would not stand a chance against a side like MI, who historically have the reputation for being at their prime best in the knockout phase. But much to everyone's surprise, PBKS did the unthinkable and bounced back valiantly to deliver a deadly knock-out punch to Hardik & Co., resulting in the painful exit of MI from IPL 2025. 

See also: Top 3 reasons why Mumbai Indians Lost to Punjab Kings in IPL 2025 Qualifier 2

Inglis' onslaught against Bumrah gave PBKS the self-belief

PBKS' bowling was not up to the mark early doors. Their ace pacer Arshdeep erred on the higher side and went wicketless while Vyshak, Omarzai, and Stoinis also leaked runs at an exponentially high rate. However, their batting department saved the day for PBKS. After a dismal outing in the previous Qualifier game, PBKS batters batted quite sensibly. 

Chasing a stiff target of 204, PBKS did not get off to a promising start as they lost Prabhsimran cheaply with only 13 on the board. But then, Inglis arrived and he launched a scathing attack on the MI bowlers to roll the tide back in his side's favor. The most notable highlight of his innings was his counter-attacking punch against Jasprit Bumrah, one of the best operating fast bowlers in world cricket. 

The carnage unfolded during the fifth over of the run chase. Inglis quickly raced out of the blocks to put Bumrah under the pump. The Aussie wicket-keeper batsman slammed 20 off that over, which comprised two fours and two sixes apiece.

After the highs of the second Qualifier subsided momentarily, Iyer revealed that the over against Bumrah ignited the spark and the self-belief in the team to do the impossible. 

Shreyas Iyer said, "Josh Inglis taking down Bumrah gave us the belief and the confidence, it was the initial push we needed". pic.twitter.com/h44SHP94BV

— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) June 2, 2025

This instance greatly illustrated Inglis's offensive strategy and demonstrated his capability to defeat even the most skilled bowlers in the sport, leaving both the audience and commentators astonished by the onslaught of boundaries and maximums. Inglis was eventually dismissed by Pandya on 38, but his quick-fire onslaught proved to be a decisive point in the game as the launpad was set for Shreyas and Wadhera to go big in the death overs. 

In a spectacular display of batting in IPL 2025 Qualifier 2, Josh Inglis of the Punjab Kings produced a thrilling inning against the Mumbai Indians, smashing 20 runs in an over bowled by the great Jasprit Bumrah. This one overexemplified Inglis's attacking intent and showed his ability to take down even the most elite bowlers in the game, and the crowd and commentators were left stunned by the barrage of fours and sixes.

The match, part of the high-stakes playoff series to reach PBKS for the final, and Inglis's performance could be considered the tipping point of the game, as it gave energy to the Punjab chase. Inglis's aggressiveness increased the energy of the Punjab Kings and brought momentum at a key moment in the match - each cricket fan and analyst embraced the audacity of taking on Bumrah, an elite pacer. Fans and analysts alike praised the fearlessness with which Inglis took on Bumrah, one of the world's top pacers.

Inglis’s Impact on the Match

Josh Inglis produced a vital knock of 38 off just 21 balls, striking at an unbelievable rate of 180.95, with 5 fours and 2 sixes included. Certainly, Inglis's over against Bumrah was at a key moment where Punjab Kings needed a push to keep up with the required runs.

Watch the video here

JOSH INGLISH SMASHING BUMRAH FOR 20 RUNS IN AN OVER. 🫡pic.twitter.com/yKhDiNBfQB

— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) June 1, 2025

Also Read: WATCH: AB de Villiers makes bold statement about Suryakumar Yadav’s unique batting style

When the teams took 8 overs, Mumbai Indians had amassed 203/6 in 20 overs. Punjab Kings stood at 72/3, needing 132 from the final 72 balls at a required rate of 11.0. Inglis's explosive innings has resurrected the chase, firmly placing Punjab Kings within reach as we transition into the all-important middle phase of the match.

The 69th match of IPL 2025 was played between Punjab Kings and Mumbai Indians at Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur. In this match, Punjab Kings defeated Mumbai Indians by 7 wickets and won a spectacular victory and made their place in the top 2 of IPL 2025. Now the team of Punjab Kings will be seen playing in the first qualifier match.

Talking about this match, Punjab Kings won the toss and decided to bowl first and invited Mumbai team to bat first. In response, Mumbai Indians scored 184 runs for the loss of 7 wickets in the stipulated 20 overs. Ryan Rickelton played an innings of 27 runs in 20 balls for the Mumbai Indians team. Rohit Sharma batted very slowly in this match and scored 24 runs in 21 balls. Tilak Varma was dismissed after scoring one run in four balls. Suryakumar Yadav again took charge of the innings

In this match, once again the middle order batsman of Mumbai Indians team, Suryakumar Yadav, took charge of the Mumbai Indians team. Suryakumar Yadav played an innings of 57 runs in 39 balls with the help of 6 fours and two sixes. While Will Jacks scored 17 runs in 8 balls, captain Hardik Pandya scored 26 runs in 15 balls and Naman Dhir scored 20 runs in 12 balls. For Punjab Kings, Arshdeep Singh, Marco Jansen and Vijay Kumar Vyas took two wickets each in the match.

Priyansh Arya and Josh English dominated the run chase

The Punjab Kings team, which came out to chase the target of 185 runs given by Mumbai Indians, did not have a good start and Prabhsimran Singh was dismissed by Bumrah after scoring 13 runs in 16 balls. But after that, there was a partnership of 109 runs in 59 balls between openers Priyansh Arya and josh inglis  in this match in which Priyansh Arya scored 62 runs in 35 balls with the help of 9 fours and 2 sixes. Apart from this, josh inglis played an innings of 72 runs in 42 balls and led the team to victory.

ALSO READ: BCCI planning grand closing ceremony for IPL 2025

Twitter reactions after PBKS wins 69th match of IPL 2025

17th March - Shashank Singh said Punjab Kings will finish in the Top 2.

26th May - Punjab Kings finishes in the Top 2 and plays Qualifier 1. 🥶 pic.twitter.com/mP7BRj3Ik0

— Shubhankar Mishra (@shubhankrmishra) May 26, 2025

It seems Shreyas Iyer wasn't convinced with the deal Ambani offered...! pic.twitter.com/4JW2OA9pBZ

— Dinda Academy (@academy_dinda) May 26, 2025

No over agressive, no drama in celebration, you have my respect PBKS 💯🫡

Imagine if it was RCB in place of PBKS, they would've been running all over the ground like they won title 🤡🤡#PBKSvsMI #PBKSvMI pic.twitter.com/AJv4PA4vEG

— Navneet 🚩 (@MSDian067) May 26, 2025

#PBKSvsMI
2day's match at sawai Man Singh stadium at jaipur PBKS really played like kings against MI
MI wasn't in the for a single ball in the match
Bad bowling,drop catches &bad captaincy added MI lose the match whereas MEN IN RED defeated MI & are at the top
Pic of the day pic.twitter.com/vQZXttdq3G

— 💝🌹💖🇮🇳jaggirmRanbir🇮🇳💖🌹💝 (@jaggirm) May 26, 2025

PBKS won the must win game against freaking beast MI 😭❤️‍🔥 no one is stopping them from lifting trophy ❤️‍🔥 captain shreyas gonna write a new story on IPL history books by june 3rd😭❤️‍🔥 pic.twitter.com/hAkDhY7xhr

— Atychiphobic (@ethukkkuuu) May 26, 2025

PBKS team is so funny, man.

They’re celebrating playoff qualification like they’ve won the IPL trophy.

Can’t blame them though, it’s once in a blue moon that they even qualify for the IPL. pic.twitter.com/Vx6tOaKYvq

— StarcyKKR (@StarcKKR) May 18, 2025

Rohit Sharma Worst Batting
Hardik Pandya Worst Captaincy Decisions

MI lost the match by Owned players. PBKS outplayed,Espicially Batting & Bowling #MIvsPBKS pic.twitter.com/YMEfTGlOAY

— Cric Venky (@VenkyK_Offic) May 26, 2025

Pbks win 💪 zeinta ma'am khus toh hum v khus 🥰
#PBKSvsMI pic.twitter.com/WB01oLkgwA

— 𓆩◕Ꮢ𝗞◕𓆪 (@jija009_) May 26, 2025

MI ki Trophy Dekhi Kisi Ko paint ke andar🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

💀💀 #MIvsPBKS #PBKSvsMI #PBKSvMI #PBKSvsMI pic.twitter.com/oVTysYcYq5

— Râthôd Gõvîñd sïñgh (@Govinda88137) May 26, 2025

PBKS going past MI to top 2 in style 🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/Uitvpwqf5t

— Yomahesh Vijayakumar (@yomi2105) May 26, 2025

The Punjab Kings have received a huge boost at the moment of need in IPL 2025 with the arrival of dynamic overseas players Marcus Stoinis, Josh Inglis, Aaron Hardie, and Kyle Jamieson. With the playoffs on the horizon, the addition of the four quality players has provided much-needed depth and balance in all departments. It is expected to bring some confidence and performance to the Kings as they look to secure their first IPL title.

The Kings have created history by qualifying for the playoffs for the first time in 11 years. A recent nail-biting victory over the Rajasthan Royals by 10 runs confirmed a place in the top four, resulting in one of the franchise's highest placements in over 10 years. The core team has performed well, and now with high-quality international players, the Kings are looking the best they have looked for a long time.

Head coach Ricky Ponting preached that this season the team should use natural instincts and attack fearlessly, and it has worked well for the Kings this Season. With the inclusion of Stoinis, who can bowl handy medium pace in addition to being an explosive batter, and Jamieson, who is a reliable fast bowler, the addition brings balance to the playing XI. Inglis and Hardie also have the ability to fit into the batting order, bringing more strategic depth to PBKS's batting lineup.

On the Road to the Playoffs: Punjab Kings are Looking Complete to Finish Strong

The timing of these additions couldn't have been better for Punjab, as they are set to play Delhi Capitals on May 24 for their last league match. If they can seal the game and win it, it would allow them to position themselves further up the points table and potentially allow them to get matched up against a lower-ranked team in the playoffs. With their full-strength lineup, PBKS could better their prospects in comparison to other teams facing injuries and fatigue. 

🚨 GOOD NEWS FOR PUNJAB KINGS 🚨

Stoinis, Inglis, Hardie & Jamieson joined Punjab Kings squad for IPL 2025. [Gaurav Gupta from TOI] pic.twitter.com/TFnVSkm2Kv

— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) May 22, 2025

Also Read: WATCH: KL Rahul and Rohit Sharma share wholesome moment after MI vs DC clash in IPL 2025

With playoffs coming up, the Punjab Kings are looking more motivated than ever to end their titleless run. With a balanced composition of youth and experience backed with international firepower, Punjab is well positioned to contend for the IPL 2025 trophy.