IPL 2022: Punjab Kings (PBKS) SWOT Analysis and Schedule

At the IPL 2022 super auction earlier this month, Punjab Kings was one of the franchises that made some exciting purchases. PBKS made 23 purchases at the two-day auction in Bengaluru, including Shikhar Dhawan for INR 8.5 crore, South African pacer Kagiso Rabada for INR 9.25 crore, England limited-overs specialist Jonny Bairstow for INR 6.75 crore, and West Indies all-rounder Odean Smith for INR 6 crore.

The 2014 champions have rebuilt their roster to win their first IPL title. On the other hand, Punjab has failed to make the playoffs in the last seven seasons. As the new-look Punjab Kings prepare to make history in the upcoming IPL 2022, here’s everything you need to know about the team.

Punjab Kings Squad For IPL 2022:

Mayank Agarwal, Arshdeep Singh, Rahul Chahar, Shahrukh Khan, Shikhar Dhawan, Kagiso Rabada, Jonny Bairstow, Harpreet Brar, Prabhsimran Singh, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Jitesh Sharma, Odean Smith, Sandeep Sharma, Raj Bawa, Rishi Dhawan, Prerak Mankad, Ishan Porel, Liam Livingstone, Vaibhav Arora, Writtick Chatterjee, Baltej Dhanda, Ansh Patel, Nathan Ellis, Atharva Taide, Benny Howell

Punjab Kings SWOT Analysis IPL 2022 :

Strength – Depth batting line-up

The Punjab Kings feature perhaps the strongest batting squad in the league, with big-hitters like Shikhar Dhawan, Liam Livingstone, Jonny Bairstow, Odean Smith, Mayank Agarwal, and Shahrukh Khan, as well as Mayank Agarwal and Shahrukh Khan.

While PBKS invested in batters with a strong reputation in the shorter format, it is Shikhar Dhawan’s faith in him that may ultimately count the most since he is one of the most consistent performances in IPL history and can single-handedly get the club off to a flying start when he is in top form.

With 5784 runs from 192 matches at an average of 34.84 and a strike rate of 126.64, the southpaw is the second-highest run-getter in the cash-rich event. The graceful batter, who has the most experience on the team, might be the franchise’s next captain beginning this season.

Weakness – Lack of spinner in PBKS

Rahul Chahar, the leg-spinner, is expected to handle the spin attack independently. While PBKS was able to get several strong batters, they could have benefited from the addition of a handful of more seasoned spinners. Who will offer Chahar the much-needed help in the middle overs remains to be seen.

Punjab signed Chahar for INR 5.25 crore but, despite having the most excellent purse among the ten franchises (INR 72 crore), lost out on adding an experienced spinner. They could have bought Rashid Khan, Adil Rashid, or the current top-ranked T20I spinner Tabraiz Shamsi.

With only one experienced spinner, PBKS will count on the former Mumbai Indians leggie to inflict the most damage by deceiving the best in the industry.

Opportunity – PBKS middle-order look promising

With the addition of Liam Livingstone and the purchase of Shahrukh Khan, the middle-order looks quite potential. If given opportunities during the season, the duo can score runs at a rapid pace and add finishing touches to Punjab’s innings. They will also be helpful while chasing targets.

The 2014 runners-up have spent a lot of money to improve their batting, and now that that’s taken care of, the top-order should be able to provide some early starts, while the middle-order should be able to make the most of the foundation that will be created. The batting of the Punjab Kings might be described as comprehensive.

Threats – Pacer looks undercooked

Except for Kagiso Rabada and Arshdeep Singh, and to a lesser extent, Rishi Dhawan, the bowling attack appears to be a touch undercooked, and opposition teams could rely on it in the competition. PBKS will be expecting regular breakthroughs from Rabada and Arshdeep, and if both have a difficult day, the remaining bowlers might be ripped apart. The tall Proteas bowler would be expected to hit all cylinders throughout the competition more than anything else.

If Arshdeep shares the new ball with Rabada, the supporting cast of Sandeep Sharma and Rishi Dhawan would be required to operate in tandem with the new ball bowlers. While Sharma has many IPL experience, Dhawan was brought into the Punjab squad following an outstanding domestic season with Himachal Pradesh. He led the team to a first-ever title.

Even though Arshdeep Singh was the franchise’s first-choice bowler, Kagiso Rabada has been brought to the roster to help with the pace attack. Nonetheless, only time will tell if their speed choices other than these two gel, particularly when bowling alterations in the Powerplay and death bowling.

Punjab Kings Schedule In IPL 2022

The Punjab Kings are only three clubs that have competed for all 15 seasons without winning a championship. They’ve looked excellent at times over the years but fallen short when it mattered most. They had their finest season in league with a second-place finish in the 2014 season so far.

The Kings, on the other hand, have looked to choke under pressure despite having all of the tools they’ve had in previous seasons. There have been occasions where the side has lost from a position of strength. Such failures have harmed their fortunes in recent seasons, and it’s something the team’s management will want to address when they kick off their IPL 2022 campaign on March 27th at the DY Patil Stadium against the Royal Challengers Bangalore.

Check Out the Full IPL 2022 Schedule here.