Arshdeep, a long-time PBKS man and the leader of their fast-bowling attack, has picked up just eight wickets in eight games this season so far and has an economy rate of 10.96. No one has bowled more wides than Arshdeep’s 19. In fact, of the 33 bowlers to have bowled 120 or more balls this season, Arshdeep is the only one to have bowled more than 10% of his legal deliveries as wides: 19 out of 180 (10.56%). Eshan Malinga is next at 16 out of 162 (9.88%).

“A concern. Because Arshdeep Singh, no matter how many runs he leaks, he comes back in the death, nails the yorkers. We’ve always known Arshdeep to be a very, very good yorker bowler,” Abhinav said on ESPNcricinfo’s TimeOut. “I don’t mind him going for those wide, because he aims for those wide lines. [But] today I felt that planning was amiss.”

Arshdeep actually bowled just one wide against RR, but conceded 68 runs in his four overs: 15 and 22 in the two overs in the powerplay, 14 in the 15th over, and 17 in the 18th.

“He’s somebody who’s known to pick up wickets with the new ball, and that’s not been happening,” Chawla said. “The game [where] he picks up wickets with the new ball, he ends up bowling a wonderful spell. That’s what happened against MI [3 for 22]. But this season, he’s going at almost 11 runs per over. And I understand that he bowls those difficult overs in the powerplay and then at the death, but still he’s your still premium bowler.

“A game or two games here and there, you can expect [him to do badly], but it’s happening most of the time. Then it is a matter of concern, because if you look at the bigger picture – when you’re going into the playoffs – then you have to think about it. What if something like this happened in a playoff game? Then you’re playing a catch-up game. It’s not that you’re sitting comfortably.

“Yeah, we’ve got things we can tidy up, but I think the game that’s being played now, especially in the first six overs, it’s hard for the fast bowlers. Brar bowled a beautiful over today [two runs in the fifth over], so maybe spin might be an option. But, once again, if we get suitable conditions and the ball swings around a bit, it’s going to be just fine.”

After winning six of their first seven games, with a washout, PBKS were soaring. They are still the leaders, but one loss, and the cracks that had been papered over are showing just a little bit.

“It’s a reality check and that’s exactly what it is,” Hopes said. “Yeah, we’re flying, we’ve been winning games and it’s great and everyone’s happy and it’s still a great environment. One loss – you’re not going to go through the IPL and not lose a game. And it’s now. We have a few days to regroup before we play GT [Gujarat Titans, on May 3] and it’s about just getting back to work and a couple of days of training and then trying to iron out some kinks, trying to work through the best combination for the conditions we’re going to get and the opposition we’re going to get in the next couple of games.”