Punjab Kings have been robbed of one England star and are hoping their big-money gamble on another pays off ahead of the 2023 Indian Premier League.
Sam Curran became the most expensive player in IPL history when he was drafted by the Kings in a $2.2 million deal (IND 18.5 crore), with his all-round abilities highly valued by the franchise.
Meanwhile, Jonny Bairstow's recovery from a freak injury on the golf course means he will miss the entire 2023 IPL. Following early reports that fellow England opener Jason Roy could replace the Yorkshireman, uncapped Australian Matthew Short will come in for Bairstow.
Regardless, the Kings have a strong squad going into the season. Here's a detailed look at its strengths and weaknesses.
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PBKS 2023 IPL squad
The Kings have appointed the experienced Shikhar Dhawan as their captain for the 2023 season, replacing the outgoing Mayank Agarwal in the role. He will work with former England head coach Trevor Bayliss.
Here's a detailed look at the roster for 2023.
| Player | Role | Age | Auction Price | Nation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shikhar Dhawan (c) | Batter | 37 | IND 8.25 crore ($998,000) | India |
| Shahrukh Khan | Batter | 27 | IND 9 crore ($1.08m) | India |
| Bhanuka Rajapaksa | Batter-wicketkeeper | 31 | IND 50 lakhs ($60,000) | Sri Lanka |
| Jonny Bairstow* | Batter-wicketkeeper | 33 | IND 6.75 crore ($816,000) | England |
| Prabhsimran Singh | Batter-wicketkeeper | 22 | IND 60 lakhs ($73,000) | India |
| Jitesh Sharma | Batter-wicketkeeper | 29 | IND 20 lakhs ($24,000) | India |
| Raj Angad Bawa | All-rounder | 20 | IND 2 crore ($241,000) | India |
| Rishi Dhawan | Batter | 33 | IND 55 lakhs ($70,000) | India |
| Liam Livingstone | All-rounder | 29 | IND 11.5 crore ($1.39m) | England |
| Kagiso Rabada | Pace bowler | 27 | IND 9.25 crore ($1.1m) | South Africa |
| Arshdeep Singh | Pace bowler | 24 | IND 4 crore ($480,000) | India |
| Baltej Singh Danda | Pace bowler | 32 | IND 20 lakhs ($24,000) | India |
| Atharva Taide | All-rounder | 22 | IND 20 lakhs ($24,000) | India |
| Rahul Chahar | Spinner | 23 | IND 5.25 crore ($635,000) | India |
| Harpreet Brar | Spinner | 27 | IND 3.8 crore ($447,000) | India |
| Nathan Ellis | Pace bowler | 28 | IND 75 lakhs ($90,000) | Australia |
| Harpreet Singh Bhatia | Pace bowler | 31 | IND 40 lakhs ($48,000) | India |
| Vidwath Kaverappa | Pace bowler | 24 | IND 20 lakhs ($24,000) | India |
| Sam Curran | All-rounder | 24 | IND 18.5 crore ($2.2m) | England |
| Sikandar Raza | Batter | 36 | IND 50 lakhs ($60,000) | Zimbabwe |
| Mohit Rathee | Spinner | 24 | IND 20 lakhs ($24,000) | India |
| Shivam Singh | All-rounder | 26 | IND 20 lakhs ($24,000) | India |
*Replaced by Matthew Short due to injury
Punjab Kings stars, strengths & weaknesses
The Kings have most bases covered, although much of their budget went on recruiting England all-rounder Sam Curran for a record figure.
"He's a world-class player," said the Punjab Kings team director Ness Wadia on signing Curran.
"He'd play in any world XI, in any of the top teams, he's that good. He's probably one of the best all-rounders in the world, if not the best."
Stars
Curran will be expected to shoulder plenty of responsibility with bat and ball. He could even open the batting, while his expert death bowling will be crucial, showcasing his yorkers and slower balls to keep opponents quiet.
Dhawan is a heavy and dependable runscorer in the IPL. The 37-year-old has amassed 6244 runs in the tournament since making his debut in 2008. Only Virat Kohli has more runs.
Elsewhere in the squad, Arshdeep Singh is another canny operator with the ball and should take wickets up front in the powerplay overs, and it will be interesting how Livingstone fares as he makes a comeback from a knee injury.
Sam Curran = the most expensive player in IPL history 😎#IPLAuction #IPL2023 pic.twitter.com/9Dt5iguL4h
— The Cricketer (@TheCricketerMag) December 23, 2022
Strengths
Death bowling really shouldn't be a problem, with Arsheep, Curran and Kagiso Rabada fronting an awesome-looking seam attack.
Bairstow could have formed a formidable opening partnership with Dhawan had he recovered in time, and while his absence is a major blow, Short comes into his first IPL season with an impressive pedigree: he was Player of the Tournament in the recent Big Bash League as he scored 458 runs for Adelaide Strikers, a figure beaten only by Aaron Hardie (460).
Weaknesses
The squad is a little lop-sided. There are some outright stars, but depth could be an issue if they pick up injuries or should the likes of Curran, Dhawan, Arsheep and Livingstone suffer from poor form. There are some rookie homegrown players that haven't been tested too much in the IPL.
The spin options are a little thin aside from leggie Rahul Chahar.
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