IPL 2023: Predicting starting XI of Punjab Kings (PBKS) for the season
PBKS are yet to qualify for playoffs since playing final in 2014.
Punjab Kings (PBKS) are one of those franchises who are yet to get their hands on the prestigious Indian Premier League (IPL) trophy. They have been inconsistent in their performances over the years. Last year it seemed like they finally managed to group together a balanced squad.
They had some terrific hard hitters followed by an effective bowling line-up. However, their plane never took off, which was being driven by an inexperienced pilot named Mayank Agarwal. They finished sixth in the points table and once again failed to qualify for the playoffs. As a result, the franchise took some major steps for the upcoming season.
PBKS released Mayank and handed the captaincy duties to Shikhar Dhawan, who has some experience leading the side. They also bought a couple of big names to strengthen their squad in hopes of changing their fortunes for IPL 2023. Here we take a look at the strongest XI they can field this season.
Openers: Shikhar Dhawan (c), Prabhsimran Singh
Veteran Indian batter Shikhar Dhawan is all set to open the innings for Punjab Kings in the upcoming IPL season. He has been one of the most consistent batters in the league’s history. In IPL 2022, he smashed 460 runs in 14 games at an average of 38.33 and a strike-rate of 122.67.
Dhawan will also be captaining the side after they released former skipper Mayank Agarwal. It will be interesting to see how the captaincy duties will affect his performance. On the other end, PBKS suffered a massive blow when Jonny Bairstow was ruled out of the season due to injury.
Hence, Prabhsimran Singh is likely to pair up with Dhawan for the opening pair. The 22-year-old batter is yet to play a memorable innings in the IPL. However, he has good numbers in the domestic circuit, which would push his case. In the T20 arena, he has scored 1156 runs in 40 innings, averaging 37.29 with a strike-rate of 137.94.
