Ranking Punjab Kings' 5 best buys in IPL 2025 Auction ft. Yuzvendra Chahal
The Punjab Kings (PBKS) went into the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 auction with the highest budget among all teams and made a few high-profile signings in order to build a solid squad as they aim for their maiden title.
PBKS is among the teams that have consistently struggled to even make the playoffs. Ahead of the auction, they retained just two players - Prabhsimran Singh and Shashank Singh - as they looked for a major overhaul in their quest for success.
They broke the bank to bring in Shreyas Iyer for a whopping INR 26.75 crore. Iyer led the Kolkata Knight Riders to glory last season. Adding to their Indian core, they roped in the likes of Arshdeep Singh and Yuzvendra Chahal for hefty sums, who have been top performers in the IPL.
The Punjab Kings also seem to have a strong set of overseas players such as Marcus Stoinis, Glenn Maxwell, Josh Inglis, and Marco Jansen. Overall, they have managed to build a good-looking squad with a mix of seasoned campaigners and young talent to reverse their fortunes.
On that note, here is a look at the five best buys PBKS made at the IPL 2025 auction.
Ranking Punjab Kings' 5 best buys in IPL 2025 Auction
#5 Yuzvendra Chahal
Punjab Kings spent INR 18 crore to bring in Yuzvendra Chahal, the most successful bowler in the history of the IPL. Chahal has bagged 205 wickets from 160 matches at an average of 22.44 and an economy rate of 7.84.
He has been a consistent wicket-taker, picking up 18, 21, and 27 wickets in the last three seasons, respectively, while playing for the Rajasthan Royals. While the price may seem a bit too high for some, Chahal addresses the lack of a quality spinner in the Punjab side.
With his experience, ability to fox batters, pick wickets, and contain the run-flow, Chahal can be a vital cog for the Punjab Kings.
#4 Nehal Wadhera
Hailing from Punjab, left-handed batter Nehal Wadhera bagged a handsome deal of INR 4.20 crore from PBKS at the auction. Wadhera could bring balance to their middle order and is a young and exciting prospect.
He has played a couple of IPL seasons (for Mumbai Indians) and has impressed with his performances. Wadhera has scored 350 runs from 16 innings with a decent strike rate of 140 to go with a couple of fifties.
Last season, he scored a quickfire 49 as well, showcasing his ability to score quick runs. The local boy will be keen to deliver for his home team.
#3 Marcus Stoinis
Australia all-rounder Marcus Stoinis began his IPL journey in 2016 with the Punjab Kings and has now returned to the side. Punjab spent INR 11 crore to acquire the services of the hard-hitting all-rounder.
Stoinis had an impressive outing with the bat last season for the Lucknow Super Giants, as he scored 388 runs from 14 innings at a strike rate of 147.52, including an unbeaten 124. In the recently concluded T20I series against Pakistan, Stoinis slammed a quick-fire unbeaten 61 off just 27 deliveries, reminding everyone of his power-hitting ability.
He will add much-needed firepower and his bowling comes as a bonus, making him a vital asset for the Punjab Kings.
#2 Marco Jansen
The tall left-arm fast-bowling all-rounder from South Africa, Marco Jansen will bring immense variety to Punjab's pace attack. His height, coupled with his ability to trouble batters upfront, makes him a standout bowler.
Jansen has also improved his batting skills, making him a more than handy batter in the lower order. In the third T20I of the recently concluded home series against India, Jansen almost took South Africa over the line while chasing 220, as he smashed a 17-ball 54 at a scintillating strike rate of 317.64.
Jansen will provide Punjab with balance and his dual skills could lead to them having a solid IPL 2025 season.
#1 Arshdeep Singh
As expected, Punjab utilized their RTM card to bring back left-arm India pacer Arshdeep Singh, who will continue to lead their pace attack. He was among the top-wicket takers in IPL 2024, bagging 19 wickets from 14 matches.
The franchise shelled out a huge amount of INR 18 crore for Arshdeep. In recent times, he has also gained crucial experience while representing India on the international stage and doing so successfully.
He is among the most successful T20 bowlers at the moment, who can bowl in the powerplay as well as the death overs. Undoubtedly, he is among the best buys made by Punjab Kings at the IPL 2025 auction.