The Punjab Kings are entering the 2026 Indian Premier League with nearly the same team that made it to the 2025 final. The young Indian core has been fully trusted by the team. Players like Priyansh Arya, Prabhsimran Singh, Nehal Wadhera, and Shashank Singh were retained due to their impressive performances in the previous season, and Shreyas Iyer remains captain. The franchise did not make any trades and kept most of its major bowlers, including Arshdeep Singh and Yuzvendra Chahal, who remain the leading names in their attack.
The biggest change is the release of Glenn Maxwell, who had a poor 2025 season and was injured midway. Josh Inglis has also been released because he will be unavailable for most of 2026. Apart from them, PBKS has let go of Aaron Hardie, Kuldeep Sen, and Praveen Dubey.
Ricky Ponting addressed the surprise releases of Josh Inglis and Glenn Maxwell by explaining that both decisions were made for practical reasons. He said the team wanted to retain Inglis, but his availability became a major issue because he would miss most of the IPL 2026 season. Ponting made it clear that keeping a player who cannot feature in the tournament was not possible for the franchise, even though Inglis is a quality batter and keeper.
For Maxwell, Ponting pointed to his poor 2025 season. Maxwell struggled with both bat and ball, scoring only 48 runs and taking just 4 wickets in seven matches. Ponting explained that Punjab were unable to get the best out of him last season, and looking ahead, they did not see him fitting into their starting XI. Because of that, the management felt releasing him was the right call rather than holding on to an out-of-form player.
PBKS have retained 21 players and now have four slots left to fill, including two overseas spots, ahead of the December 16 mini-auction. The squad remains large, which means Punjab will go into the IPL 2026 auction with only ₹11.50 crore left in their purse.
What Players should the Punjab Kings eye at the IPL 2026 Auction
PBKS go into the IPL 2026 Auction with some gaps to fill, mostly in the premium bowling options and overseas batting power slot. In order to keep their squad balanced, PBKS needs to concentrate on filling their two open overseas spots and acquiring a high-impact Indian bowler after the decision to release Glenn Maxwell, Josh Inglis, and Kuldeep Sen.
PBKS desperately needs an explosive, experienced middle-order batsman to replace the firepower released by letting go of Glenn Maxwell. David Miller, who was released by LSG, is a good option to go after. His Overall IPL Career includes 3,077 runs across 141 matches at an exceptional average of 35.37 and a high strike rate of 138.60.
Matheesha Pathirana can fill the void left by PBKS’s lack of an international death-over specialist, despite having Arshdeep Singh. His Overall IPL Career includes 47 wickets in just 32 games, and he has an incredible average of 21.62 and a deadly strike rate of 14.94 for his IPL career.
To strengthen the Indian bowling unit and partner with veteran Yuzvendra Chahal, PBKS must target a young, aggressive wrist-spinner. Ravi Bishnoi, who previously started his IPL career with the franchise, is a high-demand Indian asset. In his 77-match IPL career, he has scalped 72 wickets at an economy Rate of 8.22 and a strike rate of 22.68. His breakout year was 2023, when he took 16 wickets in 15 matches with a much-improved economy rate of 7.74 and an average of 24.44.
PBKS Target Players 2026
| Player | Role |
| David Miller | Middle-order batter |
| Matheesha Pathirana | Fast bowler (death overs) |
| Ravi Bishnoi | Wrist-spinner |
FAQs
Q. Which players were released by PBKS for IPL 2026?
A. PBKS released Josh Inglis, Glenn Maxwell, Aaron Hardie, Kuldeep Sen, and Pravin Dubey.
Q. How much of the Punjab Kings does Preity Zinta own?
A. Preity Zinta owns 23% of PBKS. She invested ₹35 crore when she became a co-owner in 2008.
Q. Have the Punjab Kings won the IPL trophy?
A. PBKS have not won the IPL trophy. They finished as runners-up in 2014 and 2025.
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