Punjab Kings will be eager to lay its hands on its maiden IPL title this term. Ahead of IPL 2022, we look at its five players who could play a vital role.
Punjab Kings (PBKS) is one of the three sides in the Indian Premier League (IPL) to have never won the title. While IPL 2022 gives the side a new chance, judging by the squad it possesses, it might still have to struggle to lay its hands on the coveted trophy. Nevertheless, we present five players who will have to play a significant role if the team stands any chance of success.
Mayank Agarwal
The opener has been doing great for PBKS ever since he was roped in during IPL 2018. He was involved in great opening partnerships with former skipper KL Rahul, and now with the latter gone, he has been bestowed with the leadership duties, which he is no stranger to. It will be interesting to see how he fares with the bat, having the additional captaincy pressure, which Rahul was flawless at.
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Shikhar Dhawan
The veteran Indian opener will be playing for his fourth franchise in the tournament. Although he has not maintained a stable form in the format, he is known to be explosive and can get going in no time. All he needs is a match to get into the groove, and he could turn out to be a great signing, besides being just the element PBKS needed to win its maiden title.
Jonny Bairstow
The English wicketkeeper-opener formed a deadly pair with David Warner at SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH). While he won't have the Australian at PBKS, he can serve as the perfect opening pair for Mayank or Dhawan or can even be impactful at number three. Know to be explosive right from the start, he and Dhawan can nail any bowling attack. Fans must not miss this treat.
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Kagiso Rabada
The South African pacer made a heavy impact for Delhi Capitals (DC), while the franchise letting him go was a surprise. Nonetheless, it is a severe gain for PBKS and known to be a Twenty20 (T20) specialist pacer, especially at the death; Rabada could add that little extra mojo to the side that it lacked at winning the title.
Rahul Chahar
The leg-spinner rose the ranks well in Mumbai Indians (MI). Unfortunately, the tournament rules prevented MI from retaining all the players, while PBKS showed determination to possess him. Known for his tricky nature and bowling the googly at times, it is what could trouble the batters in the competition, and PBKS would heavily gain from his services.