Sunil Gavaskar Raises Concerns Over PBKS Recovery Ahead of IPL 2025 Final

Gavaskar's Insights on PBKS's Challenges

Former Indian cricket star Sunil Gavaskar has expressed concerns regarding the Punjab Kings (PBKS) as they prepare for the IPL 2025 final against Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) on June 3 in Ahmedabad. He noted that the team might struggle to recover adequately following their narrow win over the Mumbai Indians (MI) in Qualifier 2. Gavaskar emphasized that the short turnaround after a demanding match could hinder the players' recovery.

Gavaskar's Statement on PBKS's Situation

In an interview, Gavaskar remarked, 'It certainly does help. For the Punjab Kings, having only a day's break before the final, especially after such a late finish against Mumbai Indians, doesn’t provide ample time for recovery. While the match starts at 7:30 PM, the body requires significant rest after the exertions of the previous day.'

He further added, 'The Bengaluru team has enjoyed four days off, which means they will be both mentally and physically more refreshed than the Punjab team when they step onto the field.'

PBKS's Performance in IPL 2025

Gavaskar pointed out that RCB enters the final with a series of impressive performances, both with bat and ball, which should bolster their confidence despite not having played at the venue recently. He stated, 'Punjab has only about 24 hours to recover, which is insufficient given the effort they exerted to defeat the Mumbai Indians.'

The Punjab Kings have shown commendable performance throughout IPL 2025, securing 9 victories, suffering 4 losses, and having 1 no-result in their 14 matches. They are now set to compete against RCB for the championship title this season. With a total of 19 points, PBKS is positioned favorably near the top of the points table, boasting a net run rate (NRR) of 0.372, which reflects their strong performance during the tournament.