The mud acquired settled after the IPL 2026 public sale, and squads at the moment are theoretically locked in. Nevertheless, a cloud of uncertainty hangs over the Punjab Kings (PBKS) camp. The franchise, which made headlines by shattering information to accumulate 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 damage alternative 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, resolution to the Iyer downside is a reunion with former captain Mayank Agarwal. Having gone surprisingly unsold within the IPL 2026 public sale – possible as a consequence of a excessive base worth or a dip in T20 strike price within the earlier season – Agarwal stays one of the skilled free brokers obtainable within the pool.
Agarwal’s current 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 potential 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 in search of a direct tactical swap – a right-handed No. 3 who can assemble an innings – Yash Dhull is the standout candidate from the unsold checklist. The 2022 U-19 World Cup-winning captain has typically been considered as a red-ball specialist, which led to him being missed within the public sale, however his current white-ball evolution suggests he’s prepared for the large stage.
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Dhull has regarded 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 approach in opposition to tempo and improved his rotation of strike in opposition to spin within the center overs. Signing Dhull permits PBKS to take care of their batting construction. He can slot straight into the quantity 3 place, providing the steadiness required to stop collapses – a recurring challenge for the franchise. He’s a low-risk, high-potential funding who’s determined to show his critics fallacious.
3) Abhinav Manohar
If the Punjab administration decides that they can’t change 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 typically struggles with stagnation within the center overs (7-15), a section Iyer normally dominates via sensible placement. Manohar dominates it via brute drive. His potential to hit sixes from ball one makes him a harmful asset in opposition to spin. His current exploits within the Maharaja Trophy, the place he scored at a strike price 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 will give Punjab a terrifying lower-middle order. A ending duo of Abhinav Manohar and Marcus Stoinis might probably win matches from unimaginable conditions, mitigating the lack of their captain’s quantity of runs with sheer influence.
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