The Indian Premier League (IPL) is the toughest T20 franchise league in the world. The 2025 edition will be much bigger and better with 1,574 players listed, with 1,165 are Indian, and 409 from overseas. These players comprise 320 capped cricketers, with 48 Indian and 272 foreign talents vying for franchises. This talented group includes both known players. Along with budding prodigies looking to create a name for themselves on the IPL stage.
All the 10 franchises have retained the required number of players they needed before the big auction. The auction is scheduled to take place on the 24th and 25th of November 2024. It is set to take place outside India for the second time, at the Abadi Al Johar Arena, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. As the dates are near we take a look at Punjab Kings (PBKS). The franchise has not had the best times in the IPL.
They have retained only two uncapped players Shashank Singh and Prabhsimran Singh. They have a big budget of 110.5 crores, which is the highest ever held by a franchise in the IPL. This means they will need to build a new squad and find a new captain for the 2025 season. However, PBKS also has four Right to Match (RTM) cards. We dive into the players that PBKS might buy in the IPL auction.
Here are the 5 players Punjab Kings can buy in IPL auction
5. Mitchell Starc
The highest-paid cricketer of the IPL took 17 wickets to help the Kolkata Knight Riders win the title in 2024. Despite a rough start with KKR, the Aussie played an important role in the playoffs. Mitchell Starc will surely be an option for PBKS given his experience and performance in crucial matches for the Purple and Gold last season.
The Aussie bowler will also love to work with Ricky Ponting as there will be an Australian connection. The head coach will also try to pay a high price in the auction. PBKS has the purse to purchase him and go big in the auction.
4. Arshdeep Singh
The Punjab-based pacer will undoubtedly be the first choice for PBKS to utilise their RTM card. Ponting’s decision to let go of Arshdeep was surprising given that he has been one of India’s greatest T20 bowlers in recent years, with 64 wickets in the previous four IPL seasons.
At the ICC T20 World Cup 2024, the left-arm bowler tied for the most wickets. One reason for Arshdeep’s release might be that Punjab believes they can re-sign him in the auction for less than INR 18 crores. However, considering his excellent performance and the scarcity of great Indian seamers, he will be back.
3. Liam Livingstone
The English batter was acquired by PBKS in the IPL 2022 mega auction for INR 11.5 crores and performed admirably: in 30 games, he scored 827 runs at an average of 33 and a strike rate of 169, blasting six fifties and taking 11 wickets.
Given Livingstone’s recent form and ability to win matches in white-ball cricket, PBKS would be tempted to use an RTM card on the England all-rounder. Livingstone has scored 404 runs at an average of 67 and a strike rate of 146, including two half-centuries and a maiden ODI century.
2. Josh Inglis
The Australian wicketkeeper-batter can bat anywhere in the order and might be an ideal option for some PBKS. The 29-year-old, who has never played in the IPL before, has years of T20 experience, having played for the Australian national team and in other tournaments such as the Big Bash League (BBL).
Most recently, the Major League Cricket (MLC) in the United States. In 26 T20Is, Inglis has scored 679 runs, including two centuries, with a strike rate of 160.14. In the BBL, the right-handed wicketkeeper-batter has 1747 runs, 14 fifties, and a strike rate of 140.54 for the Perth Scorchers.
1. Rishabh Pant
The Punjab Kings would make every attempt to include wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant in their team. Going into the major auction to bid big on the Pant. Additionally, their head coach, Ricky Ponting, will work with Pant at the Delhi Capitals beginning in 2021.
The Pant-Ponting partnership was the Delhi team’s captain and coach until the 2023 season. As a result, Preity Zinta and co. are likely to bid a large sum of money to sign Rishabh Pant. They can once again be united in Punjab.
