After a remarkable IPL 2025 season that saw Punjab Kings (PBKS) reach the final after a decade, the franchise is entering the IPL 2026 season with renewed focus and a sharper plan. Led by Shreyas Iyer and guided by Ricky Ponting, PBKS are building on their strong 2025 campaign by retaining a balanced mix of youth and experience while letting go of underperforming or injury-prone names.
Punjab Kings 2025 Recap: From Finalists to Future-Builders
Punjab Kings had one of their best IPL seasons in 2025, finishing runners-up to RCB. The blend of young Indian talents and key overseas performers gave the franchise a solid foundation to build on. However, despite their impressive run, inconsistency from a few senior stars forced management to rethink ahead of the IPL 2026 mini-auction.
PBKS IPL 2026 Retention Strategy
Punjab’s management has gone for stability and growth rather than a complete overhaul. The team retained 15 core players that form the backbone of their success story — emphasizing batting depth, domestic pace options, and a pool of versatile all-rounders.
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Punjab Kings Retained Players List for IPL 2026
| Category | Player Name | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Batters & WKs | Shreyas Iyer (C) | Batter | Team captain & middle-order leader |
| Josh Inglis | WK-Batter | Overseas keeper with finishing skills | |
| Prabhsimran Singh | WK-Batter | Reliable top-order Indian option | |
| Nehal Wadhera | Batter | Domestic powerhouse hitter | |
| Shashank Singh | Batter | Flexible top/middle-order performer | |
| All-Rounders | Priyansh Arya | All-Rounder | Key young Indian talent |
| Harpreet Brar | All-Rounder | Spin & lower-order stability | |
| Marco Jansen | All-Rounder | Overseas pace-bowling all-rounder | |
| Azmatullah Omarzai | All-Rounder | Afghanistan’s utility overseas pick | |
| Musheer Khan | All-Rounder | Domestic emerging name | |
| Suryansh Shedge | All-Rounder | Promising Indian all-round option | |
| Bowlers | Arshdeep Singh | Bowler | Lead pacer & death overs specialist |
| Kuldeep Sen | Bowler | Fast-bowling backup | |
| Yash Thakur | Bowler | Reliable middle-overs pacer | |
| Vijaykumar Vyshak | Bowler | Backup Indian speedster |
These retentions show PBKS’ trust in their young Indian group while maintaining strong overseas balance.
PBKS IPL 2026 Released Players List
Punjab made some tough calls by parting ways with several big international names and underperforming players.
| Player Name | Role | Reason for Release |
|---|---|---|
| Glenn Maxwell | All-Rounder | Injuries & poor returns (48 runs in IPL 2025) |
| Marcus Stoinis | All-Rounder | High cost, inconsistent finishing |
| Lockie Ferguson | Bowler | Recurring fitness issues |
| Yuzvendra Chahal | Spinner | High salary, inconsistent form |
| Aaron Hardie | All-Rounder | Limited game time |
| Xavier Bartlett | Bowler | Underutilized, overseas slot reshuffle |
| Kyle Jamieson | Bowler | Injury concerns |
| Pyla Avinash | Batter | Developmental release |
| Pravin Dubey | Bowler | Spin reshuffle |
| Harnoor Singh | Batter | Squad balance reason |
Key Retained Players to Watch
Shreyas Iyer – The Captain & Core
After leading PBKS to the IPL 2025 final, Iyer remains the franchise’s biggest asset. His composed leadership and crucial knocks at No. 3 make him the heartbeat of this team.
Arshdeep Singh – Death Over Specialist
Punjab’s local boy continues to shine with his disciplined bowling, proving invaluable both with the new ball and at the death.
Nehal Wadhera & Prabhsimran Singh – Domestic Stars Rising
Both have shown consistency and aggressive intent, providing depth to the batting order — a key reason behind PBKS’s rise in 2025.
Marco Jansen & Azmatullah Omarzai – Overseas All-Round Stability
Both bring balance to the squad — Jansen’s left-arm pace and Omarzai’s all-round ability make PBKS flexible across conditions.
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PBKS 2026 Auction Strategy
Punjab’s focus for the IPL 2026 mini-auction is clear — to strengthen their finishing power, bring in a spinner replacement, and add one more overseas pacer. With several high-value releases, PBKS now have fresh purse space to chase impactful names.
Likely Targets
- A finisher like Cameron Green or Glenn Phillips
- An Indian leg-spinner such as Karn Sharma or Suyash Sharma
- An experienced pacer like Trent Boult or Deepak Chahar (if released by other teams)
Punjab Kings IPL 2026 Squad Summary (So Far)
| Category | Players |
|---|---|
| Batters & WKs | Shreyas Iyer (C), Josh Inglis, Prabhsimran Singh, Nehal Wadhera, Shashank Singh |
| All-Rounders | Priyansh Arya, Harpreet Brar, Marco Jansen, Azmatullah Omarzai, Musheer Khan, Suryansh Shedge |
| Bowlers | Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Sen, Yash Thakur, Vijaykumar Vyshak |
Read more: IPL 2026 Trade: Players List, Transfers, Rumours, Window Rules
Final Thoughts
Punjab Kings have finally found a stable identity — young, energetic, and fearless. Under Shreyas Iyer and Ricky Ponting, the team’s retention and release choices show a clear direction: back Indian talent, maintain balance, and invest in consistency.
If PBKS can make smart auction buys to fill the middle-order and spin gaps, they could well go one better in 2026 and lift their maiden IPL trophy.
