IPL 2026: Predicting the strongest playing XI of PBKS after retentions

Punjab Kings head into IPL 2026 with an attack-first identity and a batting core that proved its mettle in 2025. They don’t have much tinkering to do, and the team looks quite the same.

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Openers Priyansh Arya and Prabhsimran Singh offer an aggressive one-two. Arya is a match-winner at the top who can seize the powerplay as he showed in the last season. Prabhsimran is a young and hard-hitting keeper-opener with the strike-rate and experience to keep the scoreboard moving early. His IPL pedigree and role clarity make him a dependable choice at one.

At No. 3, Shreyas Iyer is the anchor and engine. He’s the captain who led PBKS deep into the 2025 playoffs, and his form across the season, the calm control and ability to accelerate, is central to how PBKS build innings around him. 

Nehal Wadhera and Marcus Stoinis provide the middle-order balance. Wadhera’s domestic consistency and ability to rotate strikes give stability, while Stoinis brings finishing power and useful seam overs. This is a classic all-round combo that handles both consolidation and late fireworks. Shashank Singh can slot in as a sixth hitter and a proper finisher to the game, as he has shown before as well.

The bowling core is where PBKS are strongest. Marco Jansen’s left-arm pace and bounce make him the strike seamer up front. His 2025 returns underline his value as a wicket-taker who can unsettle batters with bounce and angle. Lockie Ferguson and Arshdeep Singh round out the pace attack, making it a world-class one. Arshdeep’s ability to swing the new ball and control the death overs, reflected in his standout 2025 numbers, gives PBKS a clear go-to when the tight overs matter most.

Yuzvendra Chahal adds the spin variation every IPL attack needs. His ability to take wickets in the middle overs and stifle scoring will be critical on slower surfaces. Together the XI balances power, seam punch and specialist spinner — a mix that suits both high-scoring and bowling-first strategies.

Probable playing XI: Priyansh Arya, Prabhsimran Singh, Shreyas Iyer, Nehal Wadhera, Marcus Stoinis, Shashank Singh, Amatullah Omarzai, Marco Jansen, Lockie Ferguson, Arshdeep Singh, Yuzvendra Chahal.

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