Punjab Kings Team Preview IPL 2024: With the new season comes yet another opportunity for the Punjab Kings to break the shackles and become a top-tier team finally. But the side will have many of the same issues to tackle compared to last season, including the additional task of playing their home games in a completely new stadium.
With Shikhar Dhawan as the captain, he will look to usher in a new and prosperous era for the franchise as they shift base to the newly constructed Maharaja Yadavindra Singh Stadium in Mullanpur, Mohali. The team will have to adapt to the tracks being provided quickly if they are to make the most of the home games on offer.
For any side to have a good campaign, the top-order has proven to play a big role, and the onus will be on the pair of Prabhsimran Singh and Shikhar Dhawan to improve on their previous season and consistently provide good starts with the bat.
While there are some big names in the batting order, a notable weakness for the side is the lack of a proper No. 3 batter. The likes of Prabhsimran, Jonny Bairstow, or even Rilee Rossouw have been doing well batting at the top. This could mean that the young Indian batter is demoted in favour of the experienced men.
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Another glaring hole in the team is the lack of quality spinners in the side. Rahul Chahar, who was part of the Mumbai Indians during the 2020 season, picked up 15 wickets. His previous season, however, was a major dip, as he finished with eight wickets. He will have to step up and take charge as the lead spinner for the side if they are to have a chance at going long in the tournament. Chahar could also be given some additional responsibility with the bat as he had some good knocks in the Rajasthan Premier League.
Their biggest strength is the experienced pace attack the team possesses. The trio of Kagiso Rabada, Arshdeep Singh, and Harshal Patel have all their bases covered to take on all three stages of the bowling innings with pacers.
How They Fared Last Time:
PBKS had a poor 2023 season as they finished eighth in the standings with 12 points. With the captain’s shoulder injury, the top-order looked weak during a few games in the season. On their day, they were still able to punch above their weight and take on the top sides by racking up wins against the Chennai Super Kings and the Mumbai Indians. But the lack of consistency lead to the side missing out on the playoffs spot.
Top Player (s) to Watch Out For
Prabhsimran Singh: The Patiala-based opening batter had a breakout season last year scoring 358 runs at a strike-rate of 150.42. The side will be banking on him to come good once again and see if he can take things up a level for the team. He lit up the tournament with his hard-hitting skills as well as being able to switch things up with some unorthodox shots as well. He will have a big role to play for PBKS if they are to have a successful run.
Jitesh Sharma: The stocks have been on the up for the wicketkeeper-batter and his role in the side seems to be set as the finisher. His ability to strike from ball one will be an important asset for the side and will look to continue performing in the tournament. Following last season, he has gone on to play for the Indian team but has not been able to express himself with performances which is something he will look to do now.
Arshdeep Singh: Now an international player, the left-arm pacer will have to deal with higher expectations and will play a crucial role with the ball. His ability to bowl in all three stages of the innings will mean that the captain will be dependent on him to give the side the breakthroughs to turn the tide in PBKS’s favour. His international experience will also play an important role as the 25-year-old is already eye a big season to warrant his call-up for the T20 World Cup squad.
Liam Livingstone: The enigmatic batter has the ability to hit all parts of the ground. However, he will look to improve on his previous season by working on scoring runs consistently for the side. Having racked up experience playing international cricket, he will now have to take on the additional responsibility of scoring the big runs when the side needs it the most.
PBKS Strongest Playing XI
Shikhar Dhawan (c), Jonny Bairstow, Prabhsimran Singh, Liam Livingstone, Sam Curran, Jitesh Sharma, Rahul Chahar, Harshal Patel, Kagiso Rabada, Arshdeep Singh
Full Squad:
Shikhar Dhawan (c), Harpreet Bhatia, Rilee Rossouw, Shashank Singh, Jonny Bairstow, Prabhsimran Singh, Jitesh Sharma, Liam Livingstone, Atharva Taide, Rishi Dhawan, Sam Curran, Sikandar Raza, Shivam Singh, Chris Woakes, Ashutosh Sharma, Vishwanath Singh, Tanay Thyagarajan, Harshal Patel, Harpreet Brar, Arshdeep Singh, Kagiso Rabada, Nathan Ellis, Rahul Chahar, Vidhwath Kaverappa, Prince Choudhary.
Punjab Kings Full Schedule
PBKS vs DC – 23rd March – Mohali
RCB vs PBKS – 25th March – Bengaluru
LSG vs PBKS – 30th March – Lucknow
GT vs PBKS – 4th April – Ahmedabad
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