Ranking PBKS' 5 greatest batters of all time

Punjab Kings (PBKS), formerly Kings XI Punjab, have been one of the initial eight franchises in the IPL. They are among the only three teams since then to not win an IPL trophy; Royal Challengers Bangalore and Delhi Capitals are the other two.

Their only appearance in an IPL final was in 2014, when they lost to the Kolkata Knight Riders. PBKS have been home to some of the most destructive T20 batters ever. The franchise has excellent home support despite not winning a trophy.

Here's a look at the top five batters to have played for PBKS in the IPL.

#1 KL Rahul

1️⃣8️⃣th T20I fifty for KL Rahul! 👏👏👏

#INDvAUS #SaddaPunjab #PunjabKings https://t.co/SMxUmT6awW

KL Rahul has been one of the most consistent run-getters in the IPL. The LSG captain is also a former skipper of the Punjab-based franchise.

He has scored 2548 runs in 55 innings at an average of 56.62 and a strike rate of 139.76, with two centuries and 23 half-centuries to his name. He was the top run accumulator in the IPL during this time period.

Rahul's standout IPL season was in 2018; he scored 659 runs in 14 innings at an average of 54.92 and a strike rate of 158.41. This remains one of the greatest individual season performances by an Indian batter in the competition's history.

However, he copped a lot of flak for the drop in his strike rate in the three subsequent seasons, most notably in 2020, when he won the Orange Cap.

#2 Chris Gayle

Chris Gayle is arguably one of the greatest T20 batters of all time. PBKS signed him in 2018 after RCB did not buy him back after releasing him ahead of the mega-auction.

Gayle had an impactful career: 1339 runs in 41 innings at an average of 36.18 and a strike rate of 143.20. His best season with PBKS was in 2019, when he scored 490 runs in 14 innings at a strike rate of 154.

Despite performing brilliantly in 2018 and 2019, the team management benched the superstar for the first half of the 2020 season. He still had a respectable performance, with 288 runs in 7 innings at a healthy strike rate of 138.

#3 Shaun Marsh

Wishing one of our former super🌟 Shaun Marsh, a very happy birthday!
#LivePunjabiPlayPunjabi https://t.co/2kV8A1g99M

Australian left-hander Shaun Marsh recently announced his retirement from all formats of cricket. He was one of the biggest names for the franchise in the early days of the competition.

Marsh remains the 2nd highest run-getter with 2477 runs in 69 innings at an average of 39.95 and a strike rate of 132.74.

Marsh won the Orange Cap in the inaugural edition of the IPL, scoring 616 runs in 11 innings at an average of 68.44 and a strike rate of 139.68.

He scored a century and five half-centuries, showcasing his immense talent in the format. He also scored over 500 runs at a staggering rate of nearly 9 runs per over in 2011.

#4 David Miller

South African middle-order batter David Miller has been one of the most destructive batters in the tournament's history.

Miller had an impressive career for PBKS, scoring 1974 runs in 82 innings at an average of 35.25 and a strike rate of 139.40.

His performances in the 2013 season were among the best by a middle-order batter for PBKS. He scored 418 runs in 12 innings at an average of 59.71 and a strike rate of 164.57.

#5 Mayank Agarwal

Go well, Mayank 🫶👑

Opening batter Mayank Agarwal also makes it to the top five batters in the franchise's history. The Karnataka player has scored 1513 runs in 59 innings at an average of 26.54 and a strike rate of 141.

Agarwal was a high-impact player, particularly in the powerplay and the middle overs. He batted with intent and looked to actively take down the bowlers according to PBKS' requirements.

However, captaincy duties took a toll on his game. He has now been released by the franchise.