After an incredible 2025 season where they finished as runners-up, Punjab Kings (PBKS) entered the 2026 auction as the “Quiet Boys” of the room. With a settled core and Shreyas Iyer leading the charge, their goal wasn’t to rebuild, but to refine. They made the fewest moves of any team, trusting the squad that brought them within six runs of the 2025 title.
The Official Squad Breakdown
| Batters & Wicket-Keepers | All-Rounders | Bowlers |
| Shreyas Iyer (C) | Marcus Stoinis ✈️ | Arshdeep Singh |
| Prabhsimran Singh (WK) | Azmatullah Omarzai ✈️ | Yuzvendra Chahal |
| Shashank Singh | Marco Jansen ✈️ | Lockie Ferguson ✈️ |
| Nehal Wadhera | Cooper Connolly ✈️ | Xavier Bartlett ✈️ |
| Priyansh Arya | Harpreet Brar | Ben Dwarshuis ✈️ |
| Vishnu Vinod (WK) | Mitchell Owen ✈️ | Yash Thakur |
| Harnoor Pannu | Suryansh Shedge | Vyshak Vijaykumar |
| Musheer Khan | Pyala Avinash | Pravin Dubey |
| Vishal Nishad |
The “New Faces” & Strategic Moves
PBKS focused on “minor top-ups” rather than a major overhaul, adding tactical flexibility for their home conditions in Mullanpur.
- The Tactical Steal: Cooper Connolly (₹3 Cr). PBKS engaged in a bidding war with KKR to land the versatile Australian. Skipper Shreyas Iyer noted that while Connolly wasn’t the first name on their list, he perfectly fits the left-handed lower-middle order role.
- The Pace Insurance: Ben Dwarshuis (₹4.40 Cr). The Dutch-Australian left-armer adds to the “Horses for Courses” strategy, providing a high-quality alternative to Marco Jansen on bouncy surfaces.
- Domestic Depth: They added leg-spinner Pravin Dubey and young talent Vishal Nishad (₹30 Lakh each) to ensure the spin department isn’t solely reliant on Chahal and Brar.
Probable XI & Impact Strategy
This XI relies on a strong Indian “spine” that allows PBKS to use their overseas slots for high-impact all-rounders.
- Priyansh Arya
- Prabhsimran Singh (WK)
- Shreyas Iyer (C)
- Nehal Wadhera
- Shashank Singh
- Marcus Stoinis ✈️
- Azmatullah Omarzai / Cooper Connolly ✈️
- Marco Jansen ✈️
- Harpreet Brar
- Yuzvendra Chahal
- Arshdeep Singh
Impact Player Strategy:
- The Pace Battery: If bowling first, Lockie Ferguson ✈️ or Yash Thakur can be subbed in for a batter to create a four-pronged pace attack.
- The Spinning Web: On a turning Mullanpur track, Pravin Dubey can come in to partner Chahal and Brar, creating a triple-threat spin unit.
Analysis: The Highs, Lows, and Gaps
What they got right: Continuity is King – PBKS has historically been the team that changes its squad every year. By retaining 21 players (the most in the league), they have built the “chemistry” that modern T20 teams crave. Their Indian core—led by Iyer, Arshdeep, and Chahal—is as strong as any in the IPL.
The Gaps They Forgot to Plug: The “X-Factor” Hitter – With the release of Glenn Maxwell and Josh Inglis, PBKS has moved toward a more “percentage-play” batting unit. While Shashank Singh and Nehal Wadhera are reliable, they lack a truly “scary” international finisher who can chase 80 runs in the last 5 overs if the top order fails.
The X-Factor: Musheer Khan – The young sensation is the “wildcard” in this squad. If Musheer can translate his domestic form into the IPL, he could become the middle-order anchor that allows Stoinis and Shashank to play with total reckless abandon.
The Final Verdict
Punjab Kings are no longer the “underdogs.” They are a balanced, disciplined machine that knows how to win. They didn’t need to win the auction because they already have a winning team. If Shreyas Iyer can lead with the same tactical brilliance he showed in 2025, the Kings might just go one step further and lift their first trophy in 2026.