NEW DELHI: Punjab Kings, one of the few franchises yet to win an IPL title, are aiming for a fresh start with a complete squad overhaul ahead of the 2025 mega auction. The team has opted to retain just two uncapped players, signalling their intent to rebuild.
In a surprising move, the 2014 runners-up decided not to retain India international Arshdeep Singh, who had been with the franchise since 2019. The left-arm seamer, seen as a key player, was notably omitted, leaving fans stunned by the decision.
PBKS finished ninth last season and they have not qualified for the playoffs since 2014.
PLAYERS RETAINED
1. Shashank Singh (Rs 5.5 crore)
2. Prabhsimran Singh (Rs 4 crore)
REMAINING PURSE, AUCTION STRATEGY, KEY SLOTS TO FILLPunjab Kings enter the auction with the largest remaining purse of Rs 110.5 crore, giving them a significant edge to strategically rebuild their squad in line with new coach Ricky Ponting's vision for the franchise.
Key players they could target include Arshdeep Singh, Jitesh Sharma, Rahul Chahar, Harshal Patel, Liam Livingstone, Sam Curran, Kagiso Rabada, and Jonny Bairstow.
They now have Right-To-Match cards for the mega auction, which will be held in Jeddah on November 24 and 25.
Shashank emerged as a standout finisher for Punjab Kings last season, leading the team with 354 runs at an impressive strike rate of 164.65 and an average of 44.25.
Prabhsimran, a part of the Punjab Kings since 2019, has accumulated 756 runs in 34 matches at a strike rate of 146.22, cementing his place in the team during IPL 2023.
In IPL 2024, he represented India A in the Emerging Men's T20 Asia Cup in Oman and finished as the team's second-highest run-scorer with 334 runs, trailing only Shashank's 354.
- PBKS remaining purse: Rs 110.5 crore
- Right-to-Match cards available: 4 (capped players)
- PBKS slots remaining: 23 (8 overseas)
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