IPL 2024 Auction, Punjab Kings Strategy: Which Players Will Shikhar Dhawan And Co Go For?

As the anticipation builds for the IPL 2024 Auction in Dubai on December 19, the Punjab Kings (PBKS) find themselves in a position to fortify their already strong squad for the upcoming season. A total of 333 players will go under the hammer during the mini-auction in Dubai. Yet the challenge for PBKS would be to find eight players, including two from overseas, to complete their 25-member squad. After letting go of Shahrukh Khan, who was bought for a whopping Rs 9 crore last year, PBKS currently sit with Rs 29.1 crore in their purse. Sri Lanka's Bhanuka Rajapaksa was the other notable player released from the PBKS squad along with Raj Bawa, Baltej Dhanda and Mohit Rathee.

Among the departures, the release of Shahrukh Khan raised eyebrows. Khan, a proven lower-order Indian batter, contributed in the previous season for PBKS in the limited opportunities he got. The decision to release him might be a strategic move, potentially aimed at reacquiring his services at a more economical price. Whether this gamble proves advantageous or not remains to be seen.

IPL 2024 auction: Players retained by PBKS

Shikhar Dhawan

Jonny Bairstow

Atharva Taide

Harpreet Singh

Shivam Singh

Arshdeep Singh

Harpreet Brar

Kagiso Rabada

Nathan Ellis

Rahul Chahar

Vidwath Kaverappa

Liam Livingstone

Rishi Dhawan

Sam Curran

Sikandar Raza

Jitesh Sharma

Prabhsimran Singh

PBKS strategy for IPL 2024 auction

Currently, PBKS have retained 17 players, including six from overseas, forming a foundation for their squad. Shikhar Dhawan, a seasoned campaigner, and Jonny Bairstow, an adept top-order striker, are likely to spearhead the batting line-up, possibly opening alongside each other. PBKS top-order looks sorted with the talented Prabhsimran Singh also in the mix.

Liam Livingstone and Sam Curran are both proven finishers. So acquiring an Indian batter who could complement Livingstone and Curran in the middle order would be one of the primary objectives for PBKS. Wicketkeeper-batter Jitesh Sharma is also a proven performer with the willow and behind the wickets.

In terms of bowling, the squad features quality spinners in Rahul Chahar and Harpreet Brar. However, Chahar's tendency to leak runs under the lights might raise concerns. Meanwhile, Arshdeep Singh and Rishi Dhawan are the Indian pacers who could feature in the playing XI regularly alongside Kagiso Rabada. However, with the IPL being a lengthy tournament, PBKS will look to reinforce their bench strength at the auctions that offer options for team combinations throughout the tournament.

David Willey or Chris Woakes could prove to be valuable assets for PBKS if bought at the auction. Both English players are capable of contributing effectively with bat and ball and can bowl in the powerplay overs which could spare overs for Arshdeep, Rabada or Sam Curran at the death.

PBKS would also have their eyes set on potential acquisitions, seeking a quality all-rounder akin to Hardik Pandya and a proficient overseas spin bowler. The pool of available players presents intriguing prospects. The impressive performances of the Kiwi duo Rachin Ravindra and Daryl Mitchell at the 2023 ODI World Cup make them enticing options from the overseas category.

Additionally, the talents of Sri Lanka's Wanindu Hasaranga, England's Adil Rashid, the towering Kyle Jamieson, India's Shardul Thakur, and Australia's World Cup winner Josh Hazlewood would be under PBKS's consideration. The anticipated bidding for Aussie speedster Mitchell Starc could create an intriguing scenario, potentially drawing significant interest from multiple teams, including PBKS.

As the IPL 2024 Auction draws near, the Punjab Kings stand poised to make strategic moves and secure the right blend of talent to fortify their squad, with a keen eye on assembling a formidable team capable of vying for the prestigious IPL title for the first time.