Glenn Maxwell Dropped? Likely Changes In PBKS Playing XI For IPL 2025 Match vs SRH

Punjab Kings to face SRH on April 12 [Source: AP]

Punjab Kings registered a comprehensive 18-run win over Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in their previous outing to get back to winning ways this IPL 2025 season. With three wins and a solitary defeat from four matches, the Shreyas Iyer-led franchise is currently ranked among the top four sides on the 10-team points table.

They will now go up against the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in match number 27 of the tournament on Saturday, April 12. The much-awaited contest will be hosted by the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad. As Punjab Kings brace themselves to take on SRH away from home, let’s analyze and find out their probable playing XI for the match.

PBKS Playing XI vs CSK in last match

Priyansh Arya, Prabhsimran Singh (wk), Shreyas Iyer (c), Marcus Stoinis, Nehal Wadhera, Glenn Maxwell, Shashank Singh, Marco Jansen, Yuzvendra Chahal, Arshdeep Singh and Lockie Ferguson.
Impact player - Yash Thakur

Harpreet Brar To Replace Yuzvendra Chahal?

While senior Punjab Kings spinner Yuzvendra Chahal is the leading wicket-taker in the history of the IPL, the out-of-favour Indian cricketer has been a pale imitation of his former self this season. 

In the four matches he has played so far in IPL 2025 for the Punjab Kings, Chahal has bowled 11 overs and yielded just one wicket, doing so against the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) a couple of weeks ago during an otherwise expensive spell.

Holding an expensive economy rate of over 10 and a dismal bowling average of 111, captain Shreyas Iyer and the Punjab Kings team management might well give Yuzvendra Chahal a chance to recalibrate on the bench.

In Chahal’s absence, the management might recall franchise zealot Harpreet Brar back into the playing XI for the game against SRH. 

A cunning left-arm spinner, Brar has a tendency of breaking partnerships in the middle overs, and often delivers economical spells even when he fails to take wickets. Moreover, the Punjab cricketer can also mint quick runs down the lower-order, and holds an IPL batting strike rate of over 125.

(Stats of Yuzvendra Chahal and Harpreet Brar)

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Will Glenn Maxwell Be Replaced By Azmatullah Omarzai?

(Decline in Glenn Maxwell’s IPL performance)

Australian all-rounder Glenn Maxwell might also face the axe owing to his lackluster run with the bat off late. 

The 36-year-old has managed to accrue just 31 runs from three innings this IPL 2025 season at a dismal average of 10.33. Moreover, the hard-hitting right-hander also managed to list just 52 runs from nine innings for the RCB franchise back in 2024 last year, prompting the management to release the cricketer prior to the IPL 2025 mega auction.

With Maxwell’s repeated failures in the IPL, the Punjab Kings think-tank might well be tempted to bring back Afghanistan’s fast-bowling all-rounder Azmatullah Omarzai into the playing XI. 

Omarzai has played just one match so far this season, and was asked to bowl a couple of overs on a high-scoring Ahmedabad surface earlier in the tournament.

That being said, the Punjab Kings management might make a last-minute decision to retain Glenn Maxwell, considering the legendary Australian has been largely effective in making timely breakthroughs with the ball to make up for his failures with the bat, at least to some extent.

PBKS Probable Playing XI vs SRH

Priyansh Arya, Prabhsimran Singh (wk), Shreyas Iyer (c), Marcus Stoinis, Nehal Wadhera, Glenn Maxwell/Azmatullah Omarzai, Shashank Singh, Marco Jansen, Harpreet Brar, Arshdeep Singh and Lockie Ferguson
Impact player - Yash Thakur

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