IPL 2025: Aakash Chopra reveals two players PBKS should release ahead of next season

Former Indian cricketer and commentator Aakash Chopra has given his opinion on whom the runners-up Punjab Kings (PBKS) should release ahead of the IPL 2026 auction. Notably, PBKS suffered a six-run loss to RCB in the IPL 2025 grand finale to end as the runners-up.

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Chopra feels PBKS had an exceptional top and middle-order. However, he wanted the Australian all-rounder Glenn Maxwell to be released from the squad as PBKS had invested INR 4.2 Crore on him.

"The Punjab Kings played extremely well, but can they change anything for next year? There is not much scope or need for change. The top six batters look good. They will come more mature next year, whether it's Prabhsimran Singh, Priyansh Arya, Nehal Wadhera or Shashank Singh," Chopra said on his YouTube channel.

"They will all get better with age and experience. Shreyas Iyer and Josh Inglis are, of course, phenomenal. They will have to release just one player, and that's Glenn Maxwell, but that will make only ₹4.20 crore available," he added.

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Moreover, Chopra reckoned that the franchise could let off the Australian pacer Xavier Bartlett, who didn’t have a major impact, for the team in IPL 2025. Instead, the Kiwi pacer Lockie Ferguson, if he gets fit, can be retained.

"They can do one thing for sure. Use Marcus Stoinis better next year because you didn't utilize his experience fully as a batter, which I feel could have been done. If you have put more than ₹10 crore somewhere, you want to utilize him better," he said.

"If you get one, take an extra spinner. It could be an Indian. You might want to strengthen your overseas fast-bowling department a little bit. However, if Lockie Ferguson gets fit, he will remain an important aspect of this team. Xavier Bartlett didn't have that big an impact. If you want, you can release him and bring in someone else," Chopra concluded.

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