In the past 18 editions of the Indian Premier League (IPL), the Punjab Kings (PBKS) commencing a campaign as title favourites hasn’t happened often. Yet here they are. Under the new leadership of captain Shreyas Iyer and head coach Ricky Ponting, Punjab looked spotless in 2025.
With minor tweaks, they entered IPL 2026 as the reigning finalists. The Gujarat Titans, 2022 champions, will be the first opponents they face. Last season, Punjab started strong. Shreyas, on his captaincy debut, registered his highest score in the IPL. Will that trend continue? Mind you, Gujarat were their first opponents last year as well.
New number three for IPL 2026
Now, one of the biggest questions will be who their new number three will be. It was Josh Inglis last year. Although Shreyas batted more times at the position, Inglis stamped his authority there with Shreyas showing versatility and batted one spot down at four.
Reports suggest Cooper Connolly will be the new number three. Shreyas and Ponting believe he’s the right man for the job, with the PBKS captain taking the responsibility of the middle overs phase at number four. It’ll be fascinating to see how that transpires since Connolly has been in woeful touch in 2026.
Predicted Punjab Kings Playing XI vs Gujarat Titans
| S. No. | Player | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Prabhsimran Singh (wk) | Wicketkeeper opener |
| 2 | Priyansh Arya | Opener |
| 3 | Cooper Connolly✈️ | Top-order batter |
| 4 | Shreyas Iyer (c) | Middle-order batter |
| 5 | Marcus Stoinis✈️ | Batting all-rounder |
| 6 | Shashank Singh | Finisher |
| 7 | Marco Jansen✈️ | Bowling all-rounder |
| 8 | Xavier Bartlett✈️ | Right-arm fast bowler |
| 9 | Harpreet Brar | Left-arm spinner |
| 10 | Arshdeep Singh | Left-arm fast bowler |
| 11 | Yuzvendra Chahal | Leg spinner |
| Impact Player | Nehal Wadhera/ Musheer Khan/ Suryansh Shedge | Middle-order batter |
Lockie Ferguson unavailable
Other than that, Punjab doesn’t really need to tinker much. Their openers, Prabhsimran Singh and Priyansh Arya, are set. Marcus Stoinis and Marco Jansen will be the two overseas all-rounders, with Shashank Singh being their finisher. Nehal Wadhera, who played 16 matches last season, would most likely be the impact player. If not Nehal, Punjab can opt for Mumbai’s Musheer Khan or Suryansh Shedge.
Arshdeep Singh and Harpreet Brar are confirmed. Yuzvendra Chahal has to play as their frontline spinner, considering he’s the highest wicket-taker in the league’s history. The last overseas slot will go to Xavier Bartlett. The Australian fast bowler played 4 matches last season and will start since New Zealand’s Lockie Ferguson has taken an extended personal leave following the birth of his son during the T20 World Cup 2026.
