The mud obtained settled after the IPL 2026 auction, and squads are actually theoretically locked in. Nonetheless, a cloud of uncertainty hangs over the Punjab Kings (PBKS) camp. The franchise, which made headlines by shattering data to amass Shreyas Iyer for a colossal INR 26.75 crore within the IPL 2025 public sale, now faces a possible nightmare: the unavailability of their captain and batting lynchpin.
For the reason that public sale window is closed, the franchise should depend on the harm substitute protocol (signing unsold gamers) or the buying and selling window to fill the void.
IPL 2026: 3 potential candidates Punjab Kings can goal if Shreyas Iyer misses out
1) Mayank Agarwal
Probably the most logical, albeit dramatic, answer to the Iyer downside is a reunion with former captain Mayank Agarwal. Having gone surprisingly unsold within the IPL 2026 public sale – doubtless on account of a excessive base value or a dip in T20 strike fee within the earlier season – Agarwal stays one of the skilled free brokers out there within the pool.
Agarwal’s latest home kind for Karnataka has been a reminder of his class. Within the 2025-26 Vijay Hazare Trophy, he amassed over 400 runs, exhibiting he nonetheless possesses the starvation to dominate assaults. For PBKS, this makes good sense. Agarwal understands the franchise’s tradition inside out. If Iyer is out, Punjab loses not only a batter, however a captain. Agarwal can seamlessly step into the management group (supporting a stand-in captain or taking the armband himself) and stabilize the highest order. His capability to anchor the innings permits explosive batters like Prabhsimran Singh and Shashank Singh to play freely, mimicking the function Iyer was destined to play.
2) Yash Dhull
If the Punjab facet is searching for a direct tactical swap – a right-handed No. 3 who can assemble an innings – Yash Dhull is the standout candidate from the unsold listing. The 2022 U-19 World Cup-winning captain has usually been seen as a red-ball specialist, which led to him being neglected within the public sale, however his latest white-ball evolution suggests he’s prepared for the massive stage.
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Dhull has appeared sharp within the 2025-26 home season. Through the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, he performed the function of the accumulator to perfection for Delhi. He has tightened his method towards tempo and improved his rotation of strike towards spin within the center overs. Signing Dhull permits PBKS to keep up their batting construction. He can slot instantly into the quantity 3 place, providing the steadiness required to forestall collapses – a recurring concern for the franchise. He’s a low-risk, high-potential funding who’s determined to show his critics unsuitable.
3) Abhinav Manohar
If the Punjab administration decides that they can not exchange Iyer’s stability, they could select to double down on aggression. Enter Abhinav Manohar. It was a shock to many when the clean-striking Karnataka batter went unsold, particularly given the premium positioned on Indian finishers.
PBKS usually struggles with stagnation within the center overs (7-15), a section Iyer normally dominates by means of sensible placement. Manohar dominates it by means of brute pressure. His capability to hit sixes from ball one makes him a harmful asset towards spin. His latest exploits within the Maharaja Trophy, the place he scored at a strike fee nearing 170, show he’s in contact. Bringing him in would require a batting order shuffle – maybe pushing an all-rounder as much as No. 3 – however it might give Punjab a terrifying lower-middle order. A ending duo of Abhinav Manohar and Marcus Stoinis might doubtlessly win matches from unimaginable conditions, mitigating the lack of their captain’s quantity of runs with sheer affect.
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