Lockie Ferguson, the New Zealand pacer, is still calibrating his rhythm in IPL 2026 after joining Punjab Kings mid-tournament to prioritise time with his newborn son and wife. In a candid virtual roundtable ahead of PBKS's clash against Gujarat Titans in Ahmedabad, Ferguson defended teammate Kyle Jamieson's animated celebration after dismissing Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, arguing that visible passion is integral to the sport and that bowlers face disproportionate scrutiny compared to batters and fielders.

On Jamieson's celebration and bowler fairness

Ferguson said Jamieson had every right to show emotion after claiming a crucial wicket in a batter-dominated tournament. "Kyle's a good mate of mine. He got pretty fired up, which is pretty understandable. Not easy to get wickets in this part of the world," Ferguson noted. He added that fans appreciate seeing players display genuine emotion and competitiveness. However, he acknowledged that celebrations sometimes "step over the mark" without commenting on governing bodies' enforcement. Ferguson's broader point: bowlers face stricter reprimand standards than batters and fielders, who celebrate freely without censure.

Joining mid-season and family priorities

Ferguson chose to miss the opening weeks of IPL 2026 to be present for his son's early days, a decision he credited Punjab Kings ownership — including Ricky Ponting — for supporting. He had already missed his son's birth by days due to World Cup commitments, making the IPL pause a conscious family-first choice. "Sometimes these are the challenges we have as cricketers," he reflected. The franchise's culture of prioritising family aligned with his own values, making the mid-season entry a calculated trade-off between cricket and fatherhood.

Adjusting to IPL's batter-skewed landscape

Ferguson acknowledged that IPL 2026 remains heavily tilted toward batting, with high-scoring grounds, world-class Indian talent, and the Impact Player rule further favouring stroke-makers. Yet he framed it as a tactical challenge rather than an unfair imbalance. Bowlers, he said, must adopt a "positive mindset," execute their game plan meticulously, and accept that boundaries will be hit. The key is bouncing back immediately: "if they hit you off your good ball, you've got to quickly review whether it was a good, bad or a mis-executed ball and try to bounce back."

Working under Ponting and role clarity

Ferguson plays a familiar role under Ponting — closing power-plays, bowling middle overs, and death bowling — mirroring his New Zealand function. He praised Ponting's coaching philosophy: constant communication, confidence-building, and relentless pursuit of improvement. "If Ricky's telling you you're doing something right, it comes with a lot of weight because of how great a cricketer he is," Ferguson said. The PBKS squad's strong early form and supportive environment have eased his integration despite the late start.

IPL's unique demands and momentum

Ferguson framed the IPL not as unfair but as a distinct tournament requiring constant mental recalibration. High-scoring games, rapid momentum swings, and the Impact Player rule are simply the format's rules — no right or wrong, just adaptation. "Regardless of the score, at the end of the day, you're just trying to get two points," he said, emphasising that winning matters more than how runs accumulate. Punjab Kings' early success, which Ferguson watched from home before arriving, demonstrates that bowlers can still influence outcomes if they stay aggressive and tactically sharp.