Punjab Kings co-owner Ness Wadia has expressed his displeasure over Josh Inglis’ exit, claiming the franchise did not “let go” of the Australia wicketkeeper-batter in the conventional sense and were caught off guard by how the situation unfolded.

Speaking to The Hindu, Wadia said "We didn't really let go of Josh. I mean, Josh unfortunately, sadly, only told us at the last minute, which was not very fair given that he had been with us for a while.”

The issue gathered pace after Inglis was snapped up by Lucknow Super Giants for Rs 8.6 crore at the IPL 2026 auction, despite clear pre-auction communication that he would be available for only four matches next season due to his wedding in April.

The bid, higher than his previous deal, has left his former franchise, the BCCI and IPL officials uneasy.

According to Wadia, the batter informed Punjab just 45 minutes before the retention deadline that he would not be fully available, citing his upcoming marriage and the need to rest and recuperate.

Wadia said the franchise had planned to retain Inglis and felt blindsided by the last-minute communication. He described the move as “not very professional”, adding that such a late decision left Punjab with no room to plan alternatives.

Wadia was clear that the manner of the withdrawal was unacceptable.

Speaking to ABC Sport, Inglis said he never expected to be picked up at the auction given his limited availability, revealing that he even went to bed after seeing his name go unsold initially.

He later woke up to messages confirming his move to Lucknow.

The Australian batter has maintained that his marriage is scheduled for mid-April, followed by a honeymoon, which would rule him out of a significant chunk of IPL 2026, set to run from March 26 to May 31.

In IPL 2025, he played a disruptor’s role for Punjab, scoring 278 runs in 11 matches at a strike-rate of 163, including vital knocks in the playoffs as the team finished runners-up.

The issue has now drawn the attention of the BCCI and the IPL Governing Council. Officials are understood to be monitoring whether Inglis’ personal schedule has changed post-auction or whether certain franchises had access to information others did not.

While Punjab Kings are yet to lodge a formal complaint. Lucknow Super Giants, who outbid Sunrisers Hyderabad in a fierce auction battle, have so far stayed silent.