Punjab Kings is a professional cricket team that plays in the Indian Premier League (IPL). The Punjab Kings have played in 13 seasons of the IPL but have only reached the playoffs twice. The team’s best performance was in 2014 and worst performance was in 2010.
The team’s motto is “Sadda Punjab” which means “Our Punjab” in Punjabi.
The team is hoping to improve its performance and win its maiden IPL title in the 2024 season.
Let’s check out PBKS’s Retained and Released players ahead of the IPL 2024.
Why PBKS Retained 17 Players Ahead of the IPL 2024?
PBKS wanted to maintain the core of their team and build on their strengths. They retained their captain Shikhar Dhawan, who led them to the playoffs in 2023. And their key performers like Arshdeep Singh, Rahul Chahar, Jitesh Sharma, Rishi Dhawan, Sam Curran, Liam Livingstone, and Kagiso Rabada.
Shikhar Dhawan
Shikhar Dhawan is a proven performer in the IPL. He has scored over 6000 runs in the tournament, with 46 half-centuries and two centuries.
Dhawan has been the leading run-scorer for PBKS in the last two seasons. He scores 670 runs in 2022 and 557 runs in 2023. He is leading them to the playoffs in 2023 for the first time since 2014.
Arshdeep Singh
Arshdeep Singh was the leading wicket-taker for PBKS in the IPL 2023 season. With 24 wickets in 14 matches at an average of 18.50 and an economy of 7.751.
Also, He was the third-highest wicket-taker in the tournament, behind Jasprit Bumrah and Rashid Khan. Singh took three four-wicket hauls. He retained because of his impressive performances and potential.
Sam Curran
Sam Curran is one of the most expensive and valuable players in the IPL. He was bought by PBKS for a record-breaking Rs 18.50 crores in the IPL 2022 auction. He is also a match-winner and a game-changer, who can turn the tide of the game with his skills and temperament.
Sam Curran was the second-highest run-scorer and the third-highest wicket-taker for PBKS in the IPL 2023 season. He scored 448 runs in 14 matches at an average of 40.72 and a strike rate of 164.23. Also, He took 21 wickets in 14 matches at an average of 19.76 and an economy of 8.12.
Curran was also awarded the Most Valuable Player of the season for his all-round performance.
These are some of the reasons why Punjab Kings retained 17 players in the team.
- PBKS also wanted to invest in their young and emerging talents, who showed promise and potential in the previous seasons.
- PBKS also wanted to save their purse for the auction, where they could bid for some of the released players or new entrants.
- They released only five players, who did not perform well or did not fit into their plans.
- PBKS freed up Rs. 21.5 crores from their purse, which they can use to buy new players in the IPL 2024 auction.
Punjab Kings Retained Players
| Shikhar Dhawan | Sam Curran |
| Arshdeep Singh | Atharva Taide |
| Jitesh Sharma | Jonny Bairstow |
| Harpreet Brar | Harpreet Bhatia |
| Kagiso Rabada | Liam Livingstone |
| Nathan Ellis | Prabhsimran Singh |
| Rahul Chahar | Rishi Dhawan |
| Shivam Singh | Sikandar Raza |
| Vidwath Kaverappa |
Why PBKS Released 7 Players Ahead of the IPL 2024 Auction?
PBKS released seven players ahead of the IPL 2024 auction because they wanted to make some changes in their squad and free up some purse for the auction.
Here are some possible reasons for releasing each player:
Mohit Rathee and Raj Bawa
Both players are a young and uncapped all-rounder who did not play any match for PBKS in the IPL 2023 season. Both was bought for Rs. 20 lakhs in the IPL 2022 auction. But they did not get a chance to showcase their skills.
They were released by PBKS to give them an opportunity to find another team where they can get more game time and exposure.
Shahrukh Khan
He is a hard-hitting middle-order batsman who was bought for a whopping Rs. 9 crores in the IPL 2022 auction. He had a poor season in 2023, scoring only 87 runs in 10 matches at a strike rate of 108.75.
He was also inconsistent and expensive in the field, dropping some crucial catches and missing some runouts. He was released by PBKS to cut down their costs and make room for a more reliable and consistent finisher.
Bhanuka Rajapaksa
He is a Sri Lankan left-handed batsman who was bought for Rs. 50 lakhs in the IPL 2022 auction. He had a dismal season in 2023, scoring only 71 runs in 4 matches at a strike rate of 118.33.
He was also out of form and out of favour in the Sri Lankan team. And did not play any international cricket in 2023. He was released by PBKS to make way for a more in-form and in-demand overseas batsman.
Baltej Singh
He is a domestic fast bowler who was bought for Rs. 20 lakhs in the IPL 2022 auction. He did not play any match for PBKS in the IPL 2023 season.
He was also not a regular in the domestic circuit and did not have any impressive performances in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy or the Vijay Hazare Trophy. He was released by PBKS to make room for a more experienced and effective domestic fast bowler.
Matthew Short
Matthew Short joined PBKS as a replacement for Jonny Bairstow ahead of IPL 2023. He played only six matches for PBKS in IPL 2023, scoring 89 runs at an average of 14.83 and a strike rate of 111.25.
He did not hit a single six and had the highest score of 28. He also did not bowl a single over in the tournament. Because of his poor performance and lack of opportunities in the IPL 2023 season, PBKS released him.
Punjab Kings Released Players
| Baltej Dhanda | Mohit Rathee |
| Gurnoor Singh Brar | Matthew Short |
| Raj Angad Bawa | Bhanuka Rajapaksa |
| Shahrukh Khan |
Web Story
Punjab Kings Staff and Coach for IPL 2024 Season
Head Coach
Trevor Bayliss, a former Australian cricketer and coach who has previously coached the Kolkata Knight Riders, the Sunrisers Hyderabad, and the England national team.
Assistant Coach
Brad Haddin, a former Australian wicketkeeper and batsman who has played for the Kolkata Knight Riders and the Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL.
Batting Coach
Wasim Jaffer, a former Indian opening batsman and the highest run-scorer in Ranji Trophy history.
Bowling Coach
Charl Langeveldt, a former South African fast bowler and coach who has worked with the South Africa, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan national teams.
Spin Bowling Coach
Sunil Joshi, a former Indian left-arm spinner and coach who has worked with the Bangladesh and Oman national teams.
Fielding Coach
Trevor Gonsalves, a former Indian domestic cricketer and coach who has worked with the Mumbai Indians and the Rajasthan Royals in the IPL.
Conclusion
Punjab Kings retained 17 players and released 7 players ahead of IPL 2024 auction. So, PBKS have 8 available slots.
We hope you like this article… Keep in touch with us iplwiki.com for all the latest news about IPL 2024 auction, schedule, players, franchise teams, matches and latest news.