Punjab Kings are among the original IPL teams that have never won a trophy. Their closest brush with victory came in 2014 when they lost to Kolkata Knight Riders. Last season was particularly disappointing as they finished 9th in the table. Preity Zinta’s team needed to have a smart auction strategy to do something special this year.
PBKS retained only two uncapped players, Shashank Singh and Prabhsimran Singh, who performed well last season. They entered the auction with a clean slate, where their biggest purchase was Shreyas Iyer. He was bought for 23.75 crores and later announced as their captain.
After signing last year’s trophy-winning captain, Iyer, PBKS added key players like Yuzvendra Chahal and Harpreet Brar. They also used an RTM card to bring back their leading bowler, Arshdeep Singh. The team acquired several Australian players, including Marcus Stoinis, Xavier Bartlett, Josh Inglis, and Aaron Hardie—likely influenced by head coach Ricky Ponting.
Most importantly, this season marks Glenn Maxwell‘s return, whose heroics in 2014 took Punjab to their only IPL final. The team also added Marco Jansen, Lockie Ferguson, and Azmat Omarzai. Will this finally be Punjab’s year? We’ll soon find out.
Weaknesses that could prove to be costly in Punjab Kings’ title hopes
PBKS has added many overseas players, giving their team a strong look. However, their heavy reliance on Stoinis, Maxwell, and Jansen could be risky, as they lack reliable backups for these key players.
Relying too little on Indian players could be Punjab’s biggest weakness this season. Apart from Iyer and Shashank Singh, they lack proven Indian batsmen. Prabhsimran Singh will need an excellent season to keep their playoff hopes alive.
Punjab has the least experience in qualifying for the playoffs, and their struggles in big matches could hold them back again. Stars like Maxwell, Stoinis, and Iyer will need to lead the team.