IPL 2022 auction: 3 things Punjab Kings (PBKS) must focus on
Punjab Kings (PBKS) retained the least number of players ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 auction. They kept only two cricketers - Mayank Agarwal (INR 12 crore) and Arshdeep Singh (INR 4 crore) - while releasing all of the others.
The move from PBKS wasn’t surprising as the franchise have failed to come up with impressive performances year after year. Even since finishing runners-up in the IPL 2014 season, their best performance has been ending fifth in the 2017 season.
Under KL Rahul’s leadership, they finished in sixth position in the last two seasons. PBKS were keen to retain Rahul ahead of IPL 2022 auction but the experienced batter wanted to move on, throwing the franchise’s plans out of gear.
IPL 2022 auction: What Punjab Kings (PBKS) need to do
Having failed to make an impact in the T20 league for many years, PBKS will need to rejig their strategy at the IPL 2022 auction. Here are three aspects they must focus on.
#1 Good opening partner for Mayank Agarwal
Rahul and Mayank Agarwal formed a brilliant partnership for PBKS over the last two seasons. They featured in four century stands for the opening wicket.
It is another matter that all four came in defeats as the other batters could not chip in. It cannot be denied, though, that Rahul and Agarwal were a prolific opening pair for PBKS.
Rahul was picked by PBKS at the IPL 2018 auction. In the four seasons that he was with the franchise, he amassed 659, 593, 670 and 626 runs respectively.
Rahul even won the Orange Cap in IPL 2020 even though PBKS failed to qualify for the playoffs.
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Agarwal was also picked by PBKS at the IPL 2018 auction. As a reliable opening partner to Rahul, he made an impression in the last two seasons, scoring 424 and 441 runs respectively.
PBKS will have to dig very deep at the IPL 2022 auction to find a suitable replacement for Agarwal's prolific opening partner.
#2 Match-winning overseas performers
PBKS also need to be careful while picking their overseas performers, another area where they have struggled miserably. If you look at their IPL 2021 squad, there was hardly any significant contribution from their overseas recruits.
Chris Gayle scored only 193 runs in 10 matches at a strike rate of 125.32 while Nicholas Pooran had a horror season, spread across two halves. He managed only 85 runs in 11 innings at a strike rate of 111.84.
Aiden Markram, who came in for the second half, was the only overseas batter who made an impact, notching up 146 runs in six matches.
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The story was similar in the bowling department. Moises Henriques and Riley Meredith claimed only four wickets in five matches. Chris Jordan picked up four wickets in as many games while Jhye Richardson scalped three in three.
With overseas players being such a key component of IPL franchises, PBKS must be extremely shrewd with their choices at the IPL 2022 auction.
#3 A quality leg-spinner
A wicket-taking leg-spinner is a massive asset for any cricket team irrespective of the format. In the IPL, the likes of Yuzvendra Chahal and Rashid Khan have made a significant impact for their respective franchises over the years.
PBKS picked rookie leg-spinner Ravi Bishnoi at the IPL 2020 auction. Bishnoi did a good job for the franchise in the two seasons that he represented Punjab.
He was the third highest wicket-taker for the team in IPL 2021 with 12 wickets from nine games at a brilliant economy rate of 6.34. In his debut IPL season, he managed 12 scalps from 14 matches.
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At the IPL 2022 auction, PBKS must set their sights on picking a quality leggie. Buying back Bishnoi would not be a bad option considering the youngster has proved that he can stand up to the best.