Punjab Kings - IPL 2023 Squad Analysis

image-lfqifjg9Punjab Kings in IPL 2022 (Source: iplt20.com)

One of the most unpredictable teams in the Indian Premier League (IPL), Punjab Kings have always been low on the points table due to their imbalanced squad.

However, last year they looked more practical on the field with some handsome buys in form of Jonny Bairstow, Kagiso Rabada, Liam Livingstone and Shikhar Dhawan. This gave them some boost but still weren't able to make it through to the Playoffs.

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The Mohali-based side are full of power-hitters in their ranks with some quality all-rounders this time around which could them a real chance. Although, a few days before the beginning of the season England's Jonny Bairstow was ruled out due to a leg injury that made him miss out on some quality cricket.

Therefore, we look at the depth of the side with some analysis and see what they can do this season.



Punjab Kings IPL 2023 Squad

Batters: Shikhar Dhawan, Shahrukh Khan, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Prabhsimran Singh, Jitesh Sharma, Harpreet Singh Bhatia, Jonny Bairstow.


All-Rounders: Raj Bawa, Liam Livingstone, Atharva Taide, Sam Curran, Sikandar Raza, Mohit Rathee, Shivam Singh.


Bowlers: Kagiso Rabada, Arshdeep Singh, Baltej Singh, Rahul Chahar, Harpreet Brar, Nathan Ellis, Vidwath Kaverappa.


Strengths of Punjab Kings

World-Class All-Rounders: The likes of Liam Livingstone, Sam Curran and Sikandar Raza will make it way easier for the side to play some quality talents together and manage their resources well. Moreover, with players having multiple skill sets, it would be relatively easy to shuffle with their other talents.

Pace Bowling Attack: Kagiso Rabada, Sam Curran along with Nathan Ellis and Arshdeep Singh will be steaming in with the ball in their hand. Any side would fancy this kind of pace bowling attack that can easily dominate the best of the opposition. Moreover, having all of them together means wickets can fall in clusters since they all are genuine wicket-taking options.

Explosive Middle-order: Scoring runs at a rapid pace won't be a problem for the Punjab side due to the presence of multiple big hitters in the middle order. Needless to say, Livingstone, Curran, Rajapaksa, Raza, Shahrukh, and Jitesh would only boost their run rate meaning chasing quickly won't be too difficult.


Weaknesses

No Experienced Spinners: Apart from Sikandar Raza, the spin attack looks pale as compared to their other departments. Rahul Chahar and Harpreet Brar would be their only full-time options who could bowl spin and they surely lack some international experience. Livingstone could come in handy with ball but can't be over reliant on him.

Lack of Middle-Order Anchor: With too many big hitters, they are lacking an anchor in the middle-order. The only anchor in the side is Shikhar Dhawan who opens for the side which means after his wicket, there won't anyone with the capability of holding the innings together.


Opportunities

Experienced Shikhar Dhawan: There's no doubt over the aptness of the Indian opener Shikhar Dhawan who has been consistent enough in the past decade or so with his mind-blowing performances that have the backbone for whichever team he plays for. Moreover, his experience will surely reflect in his captaincy and will test his character this summer.

Prabhsimran Singh's time with the bat: Young Prabhsimran Singh is expected to be the opener of the side this season in absence of veteran Jonny Bairstow who has been crucial at the top. Singh could be utilised more effectively if he's given the license to play freely.


Threats

Lack of Backup Opener: The biggest headache they will be having this season is the missing of an opener to support Shikhar Dhawan at the top. With Jonny Bairstow missing, there seems to be an imminent hole at the beginning which could only be filled by someone as experienced. One of the two options could be to try someone from the bench and the other one is to bring in a genuine opener as the Englishmen's replacement.

image-lfrumxuoSWOT Analysis of PBKS (Source: OneCricket) 


PBKS Rating Card

Top-order: 6.5/10
Upper middle-order: 8/10
Lower middle-order: 7/10
Pace-bowling: 8.5/10
Spin-bowling: 6/10

Overall Rating: 7/10

Predictions

Having some of the best hitters isn't enough for any side to win a tournament especially if it's two months long. No doubt any player from this side can win you matches on his day but for the trophy, they need a collective effort which doesn't look likely. Hence, they might finish in the 6th or 7th position this season.