In a major shakeup, Punjab Kings (PBKS) have released nearly their entire squad ahead of the IPL 2025 mega auction, retaining only two uncapped players, Shashank Singh and Prabhsimran Singh. Announced on October 31, this decision marks a bold new direction for PBKS, who are yet to claim their first IPL title despite 17 seasons of competition.
Noteworthy players like Arshdeep Singh, Sam Curran, Kagiso Rabada, and Liam Livingstone have been released, clearing the way for Punjab to approach the auction with the largest remaining purse at Rs 110.5 crore. This budget gives PBKS ample flexibility to secure high-impact players who can revamp the team’s performance.
PBKS finished a disappointing ninth in IPL 2024, managing just five wins in 14 matches. The franchise, owned by Bollywood actress Preity Zinta, has struggled to make a deep playoff run, having reached the playoffs only twice in its history. Their strongest season was in 2014, where they dominated the league phase but narrowly lost the final to Kolkata Knight Riders.
To support their new approach, PBKS has recruited former Australian captain Ricky Ponting as head coach, bringing his extensive IPL experience to the team after a successful tenure with Delhi Capitals. Brad Haddin and Sunil Joshi will continue as batting and spin bowling coaches, respectively, while James Hope joins as the fast bowling coach.
With significant coaching reinforcements and a massive auction budget, PBKS aims to build a strong, competitive squad to finally end their title drought.
PBKS Retained Players for IPL 2025:
1. Shashank Singh (Rs 5.5 cr, Uncapped)
2. Prabhsimran Singh (Rs 4 cr, Uncapped)
