​PBKS IPL 2026 players list: Can Shreyas Iyer finally end Punjab Kings’ 18-year title drought? Check full squad here

Punjab Kings' final phase of preparation for the 2026 Indian Premier League, with head coach Ricky Ponting joining the team's training camp in Chandigarh this week to oversee a squad anchored by captain Shreyas Iyer. Following a narrow six-run defeat in the 2025 final, the franchise has prioritized continuity, retaining 20 players while strategically adding four new names during the mini-auction to address depth concerns in the pace department and lower-middle order.

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Despite the overall stability of the roster, the team faces an immediate logistical hurdle as veteran pacer Lockie Ferguson has been granted leave for the opening matches to attend to family commitments. With the season opener against Gujarat Titans scheduled for March 31, the Kings are banking on a blend of breakout domestic stars like Priyansh Arya and seasoned internationals to finally end their 18-year championship drought.

PBKS Squad for IPL 2026 and Ferguson’s Absence

As per the latest injury and availability reports from The Times of India, New Zealand fast bowler Lockie Ferguson will miss the early phase of the 2026 season due to personal/family reasons, having recently become a father. To fill this temporary void, the team is expected to rely more heavily on Xavier Bartlett, who joined the squad last year as a mid-season replacement and has now been integrated for the full term. Aside from Ferguson's late arrival, the rest of the primary squad—including leading wicket-taker Arshdeep Singh and spin spearhead Yuzvendra Chahal—has been declared fit and has joined the pre-season camp.

PBKS 2026 Mini-Auction Additions

PBKS entered the IPL 2026 auction with a remaining purse of ₹125 crore, ultimately spending ₹121.5 crore to finalize their 25-man roster. The franchise made significant investments in Australian talent, acquiring all-rounder Ben Dwarshuis for ₹4.4 crore and the versatile Cooper Connolly for ₹3 crore. To bolster their domestic bench strength, the team also signed leg-spinner Pravin Dubey and pacer Vishal Nishad, both at their base price of ₹30 lakh. These additions complement the high-value retentions of Shreyas Iyer (₹26.75 crore) and Yuzvendra Chahal (₹18 crore), establishing one of the most expensive and balanced cores in the league.

PBKS Leadership and Coaches for IPL 2026

Head coach Ricky Ponting, speaking via a PBKS press release during the training sessions, has urged his players to focus on being "physically, technically, and mentally" prepared for the high-pressure environment of the Culling-Game-style tournament format. Ponting emphasized that while mistakes like dropped catches or bad overs are inevitable, adherence to the team’s specific game plan remains non-negotiable. The coaching staff, which includes assistant coach Brad Haddin and fast bowling coach James Hopes, is currently focusing on integrating the new auction buys into the tactical framework that saw PBKS top the league standings last year.

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Punjab Kings 2026 Player List

Category	Players
Batters	Shreyas Iyer (C), Nehal Wadhera, Prabhsimran Singh (WK), Shashank Singh, Vishnu Vinod (WK), Harnoor Pannu, Priyansh Arya, Pyla Avinash
All-Rounders	Marcus Stoinis, Marco Jansen, Azmatullah Omarzai, Harpreet Brar, Musheer Khan, Suryansh Shedge, Mitchell Owen, Cooper Connolly, Ben Dwarshuis, Dasun Shanaka
Bowlers	Arshdeep Singh, Yuzvendra Chahal, Vyshak Vijaykumar, Yash Thakur, Xavier Bartlett, Pravin Dubey, Vishal Nishad, Lockie Ferguson (Delayed start)