Josh Inglis Stuns Cricket World with Lightning-Fast Century: How Australia’s New Finisher Changed the Game

Punjab Kings fans received a timely lift ahead of the IPL 2025 run-in as Australia’s wicketkeeper-batter Josh Inglis touched down in Jaipur on Tuesday, reuniting with Marcus Stoinis, Aaron Hardie and Kyle Jamieson to give the franchise its full overseas complement for the first time this season. Inglis, who was unavailable during Australia’s recent limited-overs tour of New Zealand, cleared his mandatory fitness assessment on arrival and was immediately added to the match-day squad for the showdown against Delhi Capitals on 24 May before a potential top-of-the-table decider versus Mumbai Indians on 26 May. Why Inglis matters for PBKS • Middle-order solidity: In six outings earlier in the campaign, the right-hander struck 92 runs at a brisk 139.39 strike rate, often tasked with finishing innings that had lost momentum in the middle overs. Team analysts believe his ability to attack spin from ball one complements left-hander Liam Livingstone and reduces the pressure on big-hitting opener Shikhar Dhawan. • Tactical wicketkeeping option: Jonny Bairstow’s ongoing thumb niggle means Inglis is likely to reclaim the gloves, freeing Stoinis to operate as a sixth bowling option on slower tracks. • Form tracker: Inglis arrives fresh from a confidence-boosting maiden ODI hundred against England in the Champions Trophy pool phase at The Oval earlier this month, an innings Australia’s white-ball coach Andre Borovec described as “the blueprint for modern No. 5 batting.” Season-defining double-header Punjab have already secured their first playoff berth since 2014 but head coach Sanjay Bangar insisted the next two fixtures are far from dead rubbers. “Finishing in the top two protects you with that extra qualifier. Having Josh back gives us balance and depth we simply didn’t have last week,” Bangar said after an optional evening nets session where Inglis faced 45 deliveries on the centre wicket, ramping and sweeping with trademark inventiveness. Competition for spots With Stoinis (82 runs at 167.34 SR) also back, PBKS must juggle overseas slots that include Marco Jansen—due to leave for the World Test Championship final—mystery seamer Xavier Bartlett and power-play basher Azmatullah Omarzai. Team sources indicate Bartlett could make way once pitches tire, allowing a four-pronged combo of Rabada, Jamieson, Stoinis and Inglis for the knock-outs. National duty looms Inglis’ IPL purple patch could segue straight into the red-ball arena: Cricket Australia confirmed last week that the 30-year-old remains reserve wicketkeeper to Alex Carey for the WTC final at Lord’s on 11 June. Selection chair George Bailey hinted that strong IPL displays “would carry significant weight” should a concussion sub or late injury arise, an incentive Inglis readily acknowledged. “Every run here can echo at Lord’s,” he said. Road ahead Punjab Kings need one win from their final two matches to guarantee a top-two finish, while Inglis eyes a personal milestone of 300 T20 career dismissals—he is currently on 298. With the playoffs moving to the batting-friendly surface in Mullanpur, the franchise is banking on its returning Australian to translate recent international form into a maiden IPL title push. If Inglis can deliver the late-innings muscle PBKS have intermittently lacked, the franchise’s decade-long wait for silverware may finally be approaching the finish line—even as the keeper himself juggles dreams of both an IPL trophy and a Baggy Green debut in the space of three frenetic weeks.