3 quality PBKS players who might be benched throughout the IPL 2023 season
The Punjab Kings (PBKS) walked away with the most expensive purchase in the history of the Indian Premier League (IPL) auction on December 23 as Sam Curran was signed for a whopping ₹18.5 crore.
PBKS are in the process of making wholesale changes to their side, having appointed Shikhar Dhawan as the captain ahead of the IPL 2023 auction. Big names like Jonny Bairstow, Liam Livingstone and Arshdeep Singh will be at the forefront of their charge in the upcoming season. At the same time, however, some talented players might find themselves on the sidelines.
Here are three quality PBKS players who might be benched throughout the IPL 2023 season.
#3 Rishi Dhawan
Top 5 players for PBKS this season
(based on Cricinfo MVP average impact)
1. Liam Livingstone
2. Kagiso Rabada
3. Rahul Chahar
4. Bhanuka Rajapaksa
5. Rishi Dhawan
Rishi Dhawan played six games for PBKS in IPL 2022, returning six wickets at an economy rate of 8.21. He couldn't make much of an impact with his batting, facing just 40 balls in the tournament. The same might be set to continue in IPL 2023.
Dhawan had an excellent Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy campaign on a collective front as Himachal Pradesh reached the final of the competition. He picked up 13 wickets at an average of 13.61, more than any of his teammates, but scored only 44 runs in six innings.
That might be the reason why Dhawan could be sidelined in IPL 2023, since PBKS need someone who can contribute more with the bat in the middle order. Sam Curran's signing has left the Kings without the need for a domestic bowling all-rounder, and the veteran might not have much to do in the upcoming season.
#2 Nathan Ellis
Nathan Ellis has carved a niche for himself as one of the best death bowlers in the world. Despite having a rough start to his Big Bash League campaign, he is slowly coming into his own for the Hobart Hurricanes.
Ellis was retained by PBKS ahead of the IPL 2023 auction but might not feature for them this year. Punjab have two excellent death bowlers in Arshdeep Singh and Sam Curran, and will probably need to use an overseas spot to get some pace and powerplay penetration from Kagiso Rabada.
It's also unlikely that PBKS will consider fielding Ellis alongside Rabada, since Jonny Bairstow, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Liam Livingstone and Sikandar Raza are also in contention for the remaining overseas slots. The Aussie might only be a backup option in IPL 2023.
#1 Sikandar Raza
Sikandar Raza was one of the steals of the IPL 2023 auction as the Punjab Kings snapped him up at his base price. However, the Zimbabwean might not be part of their first-choice plans for the upcoming season.
Raza had an excellent calendar year in 2022, particularly in the T20 format. But his form has waned a touch recently in franchise leagues around the world, perhaps contributing to the overall lack of interest in him at the IPL 2023 auction.
Rahul Chahar will be PBKS' lead spinner in the upcoming season, while Livingstone is bound to be one of the first names on the teamsheet. With two solid spin options, along with another in Harpreet Brar, Shikhar Dhawan might not want to enlist Raza's services.