Punjab Kings (PBKS) have reached qualifiers after the 2014 edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) but in the upcoming season, their fans will not only want them to qualify for playoffs but also lift the distinguished trophy for the first time under Shikhar Dhawan. At the 2024 IPL auction in Dubai, PBKS splurged INR 24.95 crore to buy eight players.
PBKS snapped up South Africa’s Rilee Rossouw for INR 8 crore to provide experience and strength to their batting unit. After investing a huge amount in the Protea batter, PBKS will want him to justify his role. Besides Rossouw, PBKS fans will keep their expectations high from some of their key batters who are known for taking quality bowling attacks to the cleaners.
Here are three batters to watch out for in Punjab Kings (PBKS):
3. Jonny Bairstow
Jonny Bairstow (Photo Source: Twitter)
Jonny Bairstow was not a part of Punjab’s 2023 campaign as he failed to participate in the competition due to an injury. The veteran batter hasn’t played a T20 International (T20I) match for England since September 2022 and his endeavours will be to be impressive with his bat for Kings in the 2024 IPL and win a spot in his national side’s 2024 T20 World Cup squad.
Bairstow will get the responsibility to bat in the top order and deliver quality knocks to the team. Back in 2022, when the English player played his maiden season for PBKS, he scored 253 runs in 11 matches at a fine strike rate of 144.57. This time, the PBKS team management will expect him to be more efficient with his bat.
2. Jitesh Sharma
Jitesh Sharma Batting. (Photo Source: Twitter)
Jitesh Sharma has played two seasons for Punjab and has accumulated 543 runs for the team in 26 matches at a marvellous strike rate of 159.23. Noting his batting excellence in the cash-rich league, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has given him chances in India’s T20I team but he hasn’t produced anything solid for the national side yet.
The right-handed stumper-batter will look to have a blast for Punjab in the upcoming IPL season and win the confidence of the Indian team management to travel with the side for the 2024 T20 World Cup to be held in the West Indies. In the last two seasons, Jitesh has shown that he possesses hard-hitting capabilities, and he can serve Punjab as a finisher efficiently for a long time. In the upcoming season, PBKS will bank on his match-concluding skills again to win close games.
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1. Shikhar Dhawan
Shikhar Dhawan. (Photo Source: BCCI/IPL)
Punjab Kings skipper Shikhar Dhawan has done his job brilliantly as a batter in the last two seasons. The southpaw has notched up 833 runs with six half-centuries for PBKS in 25 matches. Witnessing his performance in the last two seasons, the PBKS team management will want him to showcase his batting mettle again in the upcoming season.
As a skipper, his responsibility will be to lead the side from the front and instil confidence in his teammates. Utilising his huge experience and scintillating batting talent, he will look to have his hands on the trophy at the end of the 2024 IPL.
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