PBKS IPL Auction 2026 Review: Smart additions by Iyer and Ponting, but holes remain

Punjab Kings (PBKS), last season’s runners-up, entered the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 mini-auction with the second-lowest purse among all franchises, holding just Rs 11.50 crore at the start of the bidding, as they had retained the vast majority of their core squad that took them to the final for the first time in 11 years. This limited budget meant PBKS remained cautious during the early stages of the auction, making only a few strategic additions to an otherwise stable squad.

PBKS’ first acquisition in the accelerated round was Australian batting all-rounder Cooper Connolly, who was snapped up for Rs 3 crore. Connolly, a left-handed batter and slow left-arm orthodox bowler, attracted interest from Kolkata Knight Riders at his base price of Rs 2 crore, but PBKS successfully outbid them. Later, the franchise secured Dutch pacer Ben Dwarshuis for Rs 4.40 crore, adding firepower to their pace attack. Other minor buys included Pravin Dubey and Vishal Nishad, both for Rs 30 lakh each.

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PBKS squad 2026: Biggest strength

Punjab Kings’ biggest strength lies in the continuity and experience of their core squad. Led by Shreyas Iyer, the team has a balanced mix of seasoned internationals and talented Indian players, providing stability in both batting and bowling. Their pace attack is particularly strong, with Arshdeep Singh, Marco Jansen, Dwarshuis and Lockie Ferguson offering variety, control, and death-over expertise.

Also Read:   IPL 2026: Full squads of all 10 teams after mini auction in Abu Dhabi

The presence of all-rounders like Marcus Stoinis and Connolly adds depth and flexibility, while left-handed batting options strengthen the middle order. Overall, PBKS’ combination of experience, balance, and bowling depth makes them a formidable contender in IPL 2026.

PBKS 2026 squad: Biggest weaknesses

Though PBKS look like a very settled unit, they still have a few key holes. Prabhsimran Singh is the only reliable wicketkeeper-batter, with Vishnu Vinod as the sole Indian backup. While Mitchell Owen can keep, including him in the XI would force the team to disrupt their settled overseas combination.

The spin department remains thin, with Yuzvendra Chahal shouldering most of the responsibility along with Harpreet Brar at times. Others like Pravin Dubey and Connolly are largely untested at this level. Budget limitations during the auction meant few high-profile reinforcements, leaving a few tiny gaps in both the batting and bowling line-ups.

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What could PBKS have done differently in IPL Auction 2026?

PBKS could have strengthened their squad by targeting a reliable Indian wicketkeeper-batter to back up Prabhsimran and adding experienced spin options to support Chahal.

Investing in a middle-order Indian batter or a versatile all-rounder would have provided balance without disrupting their core overseas combination.

IPL 2026 Auction: Players purchased by PBKS

Cooper Connolly (Rs 3 crore), Ben Dwarshuis (Rs 4.40 crore), Pravin Dubey (Rs 30 lakh) and Vishal Nishad (Rs 30 lakh).

𝐒𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐚𝐚𝐠𝐚𝐲𝐞 𝐧𝐞 𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐯𝐢𝐜𝐡! 🦁♥️#IPL2026Auction pic.twitter.com/Umuj9E4NrE

— Punjab Kings (@PunjabKingsIPL) December 17, 2025

PBKS’ squad for IPL 2026

Prabhsimran Singh, Priyansh Arya, Shreyas Iyer (c), Shashank Singh, Nehal Wadhera, Marcus Stoinis, Azmatullah Omarzai, Marco Jansen, Harpreet Brar, Yuzvendra Chahal, Arshdeep Singh, Musheer Khan, Pyala Avinash, Harnoor Pannu, Suryansh Shedge, Mitchell Owen, Xavier Bartlett, Lockie Ferguson, Vyshak Vijaykumar, Yash Thakur, Vishnu Vinod, Cooper Connolly, Ben Dwarshuis, Pravin Dubey, Vishal Nishad

PBKS’ predicted playing XI for IPL 2026 

Prabhsimran Singh (WK), Priyansh Arya, Shreyas Iyer (c), Nehal Wadhera, Shashank Singh, Marcus Stoinis (Overseas), Cooper Connolly (Overseas), Marco Jansen (Overseas), Lockie Ferguson (Overseas), Yuzvendra Chahal, Arshdeep Singh

Impact Player: Harpreet Brar/Harnoor Pannu