The Punjab Kings (PBKS) released just 5 players ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 auction. On paper, just one of them was a big miss: Josh Inglis. The Australian wicketkeeper had been a game-changer for PBKS. He took down bowlers at number three and was an immediate starter, but had to be released since he was expected to miss a good chunk of IPL 2026.
Who replaces Josh Inglis at 3?
This meant PBKS had to either move someone to number three or pick someone at the auction table to make up for Inglis’ absence. All-rounder Cooper Connolly was their only foreign buy who could take that spot. But some expected PBKS captain Shreyas Iyer to promote himself, considering he’s played 10 of his 17 innings at that spot.
However, that isn’t happening. According to ESPNcricinfo, Shreyas and head coach Ricky Ponting have decided to play Connolly, someone who hasn’t made his IPL debut yet and whose T20I career has been nothing short of abysmal, to take his spot.
Josh Inglis & Shreyas Iyer at number 3 in IPL 2025
| Innings | Runs | Average | Strike Rate | 50s | Highest Score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Josh Inglis | 6 | 216 | 36.00 | 181.51 | 1 | 73 |
| Shreyas Iyer | 10 | 360 | 51.43 | 180.90 | 4 | 97* |
Cooper Connolly over Shreyas Iyer, the right call?
The 22-year-old has certainly got the talent for it. His unbeaten 61-run knock against India in Adelaide last year was enough proof for that. But Connolly hasn’t been tearing it apart. After an incredible start to his 2025-26 Big Bash League (BBL) season, where he scored back-to-back half-centuries for Perth Scorchers. Despite that, he ended up with just 209 runs in 12 innings.
This was followed by a tour of Pakistan, where he scored 1 run in 3 matches. The T20 World Cup 2026 was the ending point, where he batted just twice, getting 14 runs in 12 balls. It’s been anything but marvellous. At this point, one can’t even justify Connolly’s selection, and he’s been picked to play at three over Shreyas and as Inglis’ replacement.
Now, his bowling was one of the talking points in the BBL. Connolly was the Scorchers’ best bowler, with 15 wickets in 11 innings. However, Cricket Australia’s medical team hasn’t cleared him to bowl. He has a back issue and, until the end of April, has to play just as a batter.
Let’s return to the batting bit. Connolly has just played 52 T20 matches and batted in 45. Of these, just 14 innings have come at number three. His numbers aren’t that great either. There’s no evidence that he can score nearly two runs per ball like Shreyas or Inglis, and he isn’t a great accumulator either. One wonders why PBKS is backing him. At this point, one can assume that he’s hitting them well in the nets.
Cooper Connolly’s batting stats at number 3 in T20s
| Innings | Runs | Average | Strike Rate | 50s | Highest Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14 | 378 | 27 | 132.16 | 4 | 77 |
Cricket
Powerplay vs middle overs: Two tales of Ajinkya Rahane in MI vs KKR clash
