The Punjab Kings (PBKS) will have 32.2 crore rupees to spend at the IPL auction in Kochi on Friday, December 23.
PBKS have freed up a significant amount of funds to bolster their roster without significantly altering the composition of their playing XI by releasing Mayank Agarwal and Odean Smith, among others. Be that as it may, they most certainly have holes to plug and aren’t known to be the most shrewd establishment with the oar close by.
Prior to the IPL 2023 auction, PBKS should be aware of the following three issues:
#3 Arshdeep Singh is very important to PBKS’ Indian pace team
Prior to the IPL 2023 auction, PBKS released three Indian fast bowlers. Sandeep Sharma, Vaibhav Arora, and Ishan Porel were pushed into the auction pool, leaving the roster with very few choices.
Arshdeep Singh, who has become a regular for India in T20Is, is currently the only starter who is undisputed. In addition to the pace-bowling all-rounder’s Raj Bawa and Rishi Dhawan, there is also present Baltej Singh, who has performed well in domestic cricket.
Arshdeep is very important to the Indian pace department of PBKS, and he will have to do most of the heavy lifting, especially at the end. Trevor Bayliss and Co. may have trouble competing in the IPL 2023 auction because it is difficult to find good fast bowlers in the domestic market.
#2 The Kings essentially have no solid all-rounders
As referenced before, Rishi Dhawan and Bawa are the two-speed bowling all-rounders on PBKS’ books at the present time. They have Harpreet Brar and Liam Livingstone in the spin department. It’s safe to say that the Kings don’t have any reliable all-rounders who can bat in every game and give them four overs.
Prerak Mankad, who has excelled in domestic cricket, was even released by PBKS. Naturally, Odean had to be let go because he was on a lucrative contract. By and by, Shikhar Dhawan will without a doubt need essentially a name or two in the all-rounder division who he can rely on consistently.
#1 Shikhar Dhawan as captain might spell doom for PBKS
Regarding captain Shikhar Dhawan, PBKS may be doomed if he becomes captain Mayank Agarwal was one of two players PBKS retained prior to the IPL 2022 mega-auction. With an eye toward the future, they even selected him to be the skipper.
As the Kings failed to make the playoffs, Mayank had trouble using the bat. He has since been let go, and PBKS has given Shikhar Dhawan the reins. But surely the Kings should not proceed in that manner!
Dhawan, who is 37 years old, will not play for Team India in T20Is. Even though he has managed to rack up a respectable number of runs in each season, his game is limited in the shortest format, and his IPL returns have steadily become less productive.
In IPL 2023, the veteran’s form may suffer significantly, and PBKS will not be able to come up with a backup strategy during the auction.