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The Punjab Kings enter the IPL season with a well-developed core, optimism, and ambition. The Tata IPL Auction 2026, a mini-auction that took place in Abu Dhabi on December 16, 2025, offers PBKS one more chance to refine a team that already appears to be much more stable than in prior years.
The Punjab Kings' tranquil day in Abu Dhabi is a testament to their faith in their current lineup. PBKS appeared satisfied with the combinations they had already locked down, while other franchisees were engaged in bidding wars to address their shortcomings. They had a clear plan going into the auction: make as few changes as possible and have as much faith as possible in the team that has worked successfully for them.
Under the direction of Shreyas Iyer, PBKS concentrated on maintaining continuity, adding only a few new members to support their established core. This core provides a balanced mix of experience, pace, spin, and all-round options.The team entered the auction with the intention of bolstering depth rather than completely rebuilding the squad after placing second in the 2025 Indian Premier League.
The runner-up from the previous season, PBKS, had just INR 11.50 crore. They only let go of four players while keeping up to 21. Naturally, their activity was restricted because they had one of the lowest purses of any franchise when they arrived at the mini auction. Consequently, PBKS made selective acquisitions during the accelerated rounds and remained patient for the majority of the bidding. The plan demonstrated faith in the current team, which, after an 11-year hiatus, made it to the playoffs and championship game last season.
Punjab Kings Squad for IPL 2026
Players Retained: Shreyas Iyer (c), Arshdeep Singh, Marcus Stoinis, Azmatullah Omarzai, Harnoor Pannu, Harpreet Brar, Lockie Ferguson, Marco Jansen, Mitchell Owen, Musheer Khan, Nehal Wadhera, Prabhsimran Singh, Priyansh Arya, Pyla Avinash, Shashank Singh, Suryansh Shedge, Vishnu Vinod, Vyshak Vijaykumar, Xavier Bartlett, Yash Thakur.
Players Bought: Ben Dwarshuis, Cooper Connolly, Pravin Dubey, Vishal Nishad.
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