Tom Moody points out the reason behind Punjab Kings repeated failure to qualify for the playoffs in the Indian Premier League. They have not even been close to qualification for many seasons. The Punjab Kings were officially eliminated from the league after their defeat to Royal Challengers Bangalore by 60 runs in their previous match.
This is the 10th consecutive season where they have failed to qualify for the playoffs. They were in the finals back in 2014 where they lost to Kolkata Knight Riders. Former head coach of Punjab Kings Tom Moody attributes the team’s ongoing struggles to a lack of consistent leadership.
Tom Moody was the coach during Punjab’s first-ever trip to the playoffs in 2008 where they lost in the semifinals against the Chennai Super Kings. He then went on to be the man at the helm for the Sunrisers Hyderabad for 7 seven consecutive seasons from 2013 to 2019 in what can only be considered as a very successful tenure which included five playoff appearances and the title in 2016.
Tom Moody slams ex-management
Speaking about the inconsistent performances of Punjab Kings. He said :
“I think it is a pretty good indication of why they have their struggles. They have many changes with regards to leadership whether it be on field or off field. There seems to always be that inconsistency when it comes to what direction their leadership is taking both on and off the field. Therefore that inconsistency is naturally going to flow into what happens on the field,”
The 58-year-old went on to applaud the youngsters making a name for themselves in the IPL saying that “the future is very bright”. Moody further spoke on how impressed he is with youngsters Riyan Parag and Abhishek Porel in the ongoing edition of the IPL.
“The future is very bright, the IPL always uncovers many domestic players showcase their talents. We’ve seen many grow as the seasons unfold and a good example of that is Riyan Parag at Rajasthan. He has been in the IPL for a number of years, he is still a young player but this year has been a breakout season for him and it sort of put his name on the radar as a future potential Indian player,”
“Another example of that is (Abhishek) Porel from the Delhi Capitals, he is another one that has had a really good season. It is great to have a platform like this where not only Indian players but overseas players can showcase their skills in the best T20 tournament in the world,” he signed off.
Tom Moody believes that Punjab Kings lack consistency in the leadership department of the franchise.