Josh Inglis IPL availability under scanner after Rs 8.6 crore deal with LSG
Following the IPL auction, the BCCI and the IPL Governing Council are looking into the situation, as it is believed that he may change his personal schedule to fulfil IPL commitments.
Australian batter Josh Inglis has come under scrutiny for allegedly changing his stance on his availability in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026. The Aussie wicket-keeper batter, who was initially available for only four games due to personal reasons, might play more games after securing an Rs 8.6 crore deal with the Lucknow Giants.
The news, if it turns out to be true, will leave a sour taste in the mouths of the BCCI and, especially, his former franchise, the Punjab Kings.
PBKS released Inglis, one of the top performers for the franchise, solely due to his limited availability, despite their intentions to retain the player.
In its pre-auction communication to the 10 franchises, the BCCI had mentioned that Inglis would be available for only four games in IPL 2026 due to his upcoming marriage.
Following the IPL auction, the BCCI and the IPL Governing Council are looking into the situation, as it is believed that he may change his personal schedule to fulfil IPL commitments.
Did Inglis take advantage of the situation?
The Lucknow Super Giants and Sunrisers Hyderabad battled hard in the bidding room for the 30-year-old before the former acquired him for Rs 8.6 crore, a fee which is Rs 6 crore higher than what he was earning at Punjab.
The entire episode has ignited a debate on whether Inglis took advantage of the situation.
"The communication was clear (about Inglis' availability for IPL 2026), but we need to check whether anything has changed about his personal plans, or whether those teams knew about his personal plans much more than others," a source close to the developments told PTI.
However, PBKS are yet to raise an official complaint.
Inglis is scheduled to get married on April 18, followed by a honeymoon holiday, which would see him miss a large chunk of the IPL 2026, which starts on March 26.
Earlier, Inglis said that he only knew about his IPL contract after the auction had concluded.
"I don't have full availability this year (IPL 2026). I'm getting married in early April. So, I didn't really expect to go. So, I sort of saw my name go by unsold.
"I was like 'alright stuff this, I'm going to bed' and I need to switch on for tomorrow (Ashes) and then woke up to the news. I didn't know until I'd seen a few messages this morning," Inglis told ABC Sport after Day 2 of the ongoing third Ashes Test at the Adelaide Oval.
Inglis played the disruptor's role to good effect in IPL 2025, scoring 278 runs in 11 matches at a strike rate of 163.
He scored 73 off 42 balls against the Mumbai Indians and a crucial 38 off 21 balls in Qualifier 2, helping PBKS reach the final.
(With PTI Inputs)