PBKS IPL 2025 Squad Analysis: Will Shreyas Iyer Remove The Chokers Tag?

PBKS team in IPL 2024 [Source: @Harshsuthar119/x.com]

When it comes to PBKS in IPL, it has been a lover hate relationship. While they have shown flashes of brilliance in some cases, the Punjab Kings have struggled to pose a real challenge for the title over the years.

In this article we will take a look at the PBKS squad for IPL 2025 and delve into deep analysis for it.

PBKS IPL 2025 Full Squad

Batters: Shreyas Iyer, Priyansh Arya, Pyla Avinash, Harnoor Singh, Josh Inglis, Prabhsimran Singh, Nehal Wadhera
All-rounders: Azmatullah Omarzai, Aaron Hardie, Marco Jansen, Glenn Maxwell, Musheer Khan, Shashank Singh, Marcus Stoinis, Suryansh Shedge
Bowlers: Arshdeep Singh, Xavier Bartlett, Yuzvendra Chahal, Praveen Dubey, Lockie Ferguson, Harpreet Brar, Kuldeep Sen, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Yash Thakur

PBK Player value index [Source: OneCricket]

PBKS IPL 2025 Squad Analysis: Definition of Metrics Used

Batting Impact Index (BII): A composite metric measuring batting effectiveness by combining strike rate (40%), average (35%), balls per boundary (15%), and strike rotation (10%), normalized to a 0-100 scale.

Bowling Effectiveness Index (BEI): A comprehensive bowling metric that weights economy rate (40%), balls per wicket (35%), balls per boundary (15%), and dot ball percentage (10%), normalized to a 0-100 scale.

Player Value Index (PVI): An overall player rating that combines BII and BEI according to a player's batting and bowling contributions, weighted by the proportion of balls faced versus balls bowled.

To keep the data relevancy we have considered datas from IPL 2023 and 2024.

Shreyas Iyer will be leading the PBKS team in IPL 2025 [Source: @PunjabkingsTV/x.com]

Strengths Of PBKS For IPL 2025

1. Strong Spin Department

Inference: PBKS possess one of the most well complimented spin department of  IPL 2025. Leg-spinner, Yuzvendra Chahal will be leading the attack and that can dominate the middle overs, complemented by Maxwell's off-spin versatility and Brar's left-arm orthodox variation.

2. All-Round Firepower

Inference: Maxwell and Stoinis provide game-changing all-round capabilities, while Shashank Singh's breakout batting adds depth. Besides, there will also be Marco Jansen and Aaron Hardie to compliment the team chemistry. These diverse skill set enables PBKS to adapt to multiple match situations.

Phase performance radar chart of PBKS [Source: OneCricket]

Weaknesses Of PBKS For IPL 2025

1. Middle Order Consistency

Inference: While explosive, PBKS's batting order lacks consistency after Shreyas Iyer. There is a heavy reliance on overseas stars Maxwell and Stoinis, potentially creating vulnerability against quality spin.

2. Overseas Player Reliance For Powerful Finishes

PBKS will once again be depening a lot on how Glenn Maxwell or Marcus Stoinis set the tone up to get a good finish. While there are players like Nehal Wadhera and Shasank Singh, there seems to be a bit too much dependance on overseas recruits to get good finishes. 

PBKS batting resource distribution by phase [Source: OneCricket]

Opportunities And Threats For PBKS In IPL 2025

1. Team Composition Balance

Inference: The squad that PBKS have lined up for IPL 2025, has equally distributed weight in all the departments. With over 30% of the players being all-rounders, they will have great tactical flexibility to adapt as per the demands of the conditions and the game situations. 

2. Phase-Wise Vulnerability Assessment

Inference: Middle overs bowling represents PBKS's greatest strength, while powerplay batting and death overs bowling appears to be their most significant vulnerabilities. The teams facing them might look to target PBKS in these phases and snatch away the game from their grasp.

Arshdeep Singh for PBKS [Source: @cricbuzz/x.com]

X-Factor Player: Arshdeep Singh

• Death Bowling Specialist: Arshdeep Singh has established himself as one of the IPL's premier death overs specialists. His ability to combine accurate yorkers with clever variations make him difficult to predict.
• Match Winning Ability: Arshdeep's composure under pressure makes him particularly valuable in close matches. His ability to execute precisely in high-pressure situations often turns challenging situations into victories.
• Evolution Beyond Specialist Role: While primarily known for death bowling, Arshdeep has expanded his effectiveness to powerplay overs as well. His left-arm angle and swing capabilities provide crucial early breakthroughs, making him a complete fast bowling package.

---

ALSO READ

MI's IPL 2025 Squad Analysis: Will The Unmatched Legacy Return Under Hardik Pandya?

---

Correct Group Of Overseas Players

The four overseas player limit necessitates strategic choices. PBKS's optimal configuration prioritizes:

Glenn Maxwell - Elite all-round capabilities (64.13 value index)
Marcus Stoinis - Versatile all-rounder (57.86 value index)
Lockie Ferguson - Express pace option (57.77 value index)
Marco Jansen - Left-arm bowling all-rounder (53.44 value index)

This configuration maximizes all-round flexibility while providing pace bowling variety to complement the Indian spin contingent.

Situation-Specific Playing XIs

When Batting First

Starting XI

Prabhsimran Singh - Aggressive opener/wicketkeeper
Priyansh Ayra - Aggressive young opener
Shreyas Iyer - Anchor, Captain
Marcus Stoinis ✈️ - Power-hitter
Glenn Maxwell ✈️ - All-round lynchpin
Shashank Singh  - Middle order aggressor
Marco Jansen ✈️ - Bowling all-rounder
Harpreet Brar  - Spin all-rounder
Yuzvendra Chahal - Spin specialist
Arshdeep Singh  - Death bowler
Lockie Ferguson ✈️ - Express pace

Impact Player Substitution (2nd Innings)

REMOVE: Shashank Singh (specialist batsman)
ADD: Yash Thakur (specialist bowler)

Strategic Logic: Maximize batting depth to post competitive totals with additional batting specialist Shashank Singh. For defense, substitute with Yash Thakur to add powerplay bowling strength while maintaining death bowling capability.

When Bowling First

Starting XI

Prabhsimran Singh - Aggressive opener/wicketkeeper
Priyansh Ayra - Aggressive young opener
Shreyas Iyer  - Anchor, Captain
Glenn Maxwell ✈️  - All-round lynchpin
Marcus Stoinis ✈️  - Power-hitter
Marco Jansen ✈️  - Bowling all-rounder
Harpreet Brar - Spin all-rounder
Yuzvendra Chahal - Spin specialist
Arshdeep Singh - Death bowler
Yash Thakur - Powerplay bowler
Lockie Ferguson ✈️  - Express pace

Impact Player Substitution (2nd Innings):

REMOVE: Yash Thakur (specialist bowler)
ADD: Shashank Singh (power-hitting specialist)

Strategic Logic: Begin with bowling strength to restrict targets, then substitute Thakur with Shashank's power-hitting for the chase, maximizing resources for each phase of the game.

Predictions For PBKS In IPL 2025

Playoff Contenders: PBKS enters IPL 2025 as strong playoff contenders, built around quality pace bowling and versatile all-round options.

Playoff Projection: 7-8 wins, likely 4th-6th place finish in league stage.

X-Factor: The Maxwell-Stoinis combination could be a decisive weapon across different phases. They can potentially turn 3-4 close matches in PBKS's favor.

Vulnerability: Powerplay batting consistency remains their primary weakness – expect opponents to target this phase with quality pace bowling.

Final Verdict: Playoff qualification looks realistic but championship is unlikely. But Captain Shreyas Iyer is coming into this tournament after winning an IPL title so if he can maximize their bowling strength while finding solutions for their powerplay batting vulnerabilities, PBKS could lift the title for the first time.

---

ALSO READ

CSK's IPL 2025 Squad Analysis: What Are The Odds Of 6th Title Win?

---