PBKS SWOT analysis: Big hitters, all-round depth & captaincy stability, but pace bowling lacks experience

The Punjab Kings are looking fresh as they prepare to compete under a new captain and leadership in IPL 2025. The team retained only two players in their squad and then spent the most money in the mega auction, and they brought in almost an entirely new roster except for retaining Prabhsimran Singh, Shashank Singh, and Arshdeep Singh.

The team boasts an explosive batting lineup with players like Marcus Stoinis, Glen Maxwell, Nehal Wadhera, and Shashank Singh. They also have premium fast bowlers like Marco Jansen and Arshdeep Singh, along with their reliable captain and defending champion, Shreyas Iyer. Punjab Kings appear strong on paper, but like any other team, they have their strengths and weaknesses.

Punjab Kings’ strengths: Power-packed all-rounders

Punjab Kings have some exceptional all-rounders. Be it Marco Jansen, Glen Maxwell, or Marcus Stoinis, along with Shashank Singh, who is a brilliant finisher and part-time bowler. If one of their all-rounders is benched, they can use Afghanistan’s Azmatullah Omarzai as a replacement for Jansen. Also, they have domestic options like Musheer Khan to strengthen their batting and bowling togather.

Punjab Kings’ opportunities: Finally a full-time captain

This year, the reliable Shreyas Iyer will lead the team as captain. He has previously captained teams like the Delhi Capitals and the defending champion Kolkata Knight Riders. Punjab has often lacked a reliable captain, having had part-time captains like Jitesh Sharma, Ravichandran Ashwin, Akshar Patel, and Virender Sehwag in the past. Punjab Kings have seen the highest number of captains in IPL history. With a reliable leader in Shreyas Iyer, this is an opportunity for the team to find stability in leadership and steer the team towards glory.

Punjab Kings’ waknesses: Unstable opening and pace bowling options

Punjab Kings currently lack a stable opening pair. Besides the young Prabhsimran Singh, they don’t have a solid batter to open the innings. They have options like Marcus Stoinis or Josh Inglis. They could also rely on Priyansh Arya, another young talent. This creates a dilemma because if Josh Inglis plays, someone in the bowling lineup like Lockie Ferguson might have to be left out, and Punjab doesn’t have reliable options in the fast-bowling department apart from Arshdeep Singh. They have Lockie Ferguson, Marco Jansen, and Kuldeep Sen in their arsenal, so it makes hard for Josh English to open, so the team has to go with Stoinis or Priyansh Arya.

Threats to Punjab Kings: Over-reliance on overseas players

Punjab Kings have some big names in T20 cricket among their overseas players, like Glen Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, Azmatullah Omarzai, Lockie Ferguson, Josh Inglis, and Aaron Hardie. However, it is not possible to play all of them since they can only choose four overseas players. This shows a problem, as they are heavily reliant on overseas talents. Among their domestic players, only Shreyas Iyer, Yuzvendra Chahal, and Arshdeep Singh have made their debuts for the Indian team so far. A lack of experience among the domestic players could threaten their success in tournaments.

Cricket Punjab Kings Shreyas Iyer