The mud acquired settled after the IPL 2026 auction, and squads at the moment are theoretically locked in. Nonetheless, a cloud of uncertainty hangs over the Punjab Kings (PBKS) camp. The franchise, which made headlines by shattering information to accumulate Shreyas Iyer for a colossal INR 26.75 crore within the IPL 2025 public sale, now faces a possible nightmare: the unavailability of their captain and batting lynchpin.
Because the public sale window is closed, the franchise should depend on the harm alternative protocol (signing unsold gamers) or the buying and selling window to fill the void.
IPL 2026: 3 potential candidates Punjab Kings can goal if Shreyas Iyer misses out
1) Mayank Agarwal
Probably the most logical, albeit dramatic, answer to the Iyer drawback is a reunion with former captain Mayank Agarwal. Having gone surprisingly unsold within the IPL 2026 public sale – possible as a consequence of a excessive base worth or a dip in T20 strike charge within the earlier season – Agarwal stays one of the vital skilled free brokers out there within the pool.
Agarwal’s latest home type for Karnataka has been a reminder of his class. Within the 2025-26 Vijay Hazare Trophy, he amassed over 400 runs, exhibiting he nonetheless possesses the starvation to dominate assaults. For PBKS, this makes good sense. Agarwal understands the franchise’s tradition inside out. If Iyer is out, Punjab loses not only a batter, however a captain. Agarwal can seamlessly step into the management group (supporting a stand-in captain or taking the armband himself) and stabilize the highest order. His skill to anchor the innings permits explosive batters like Prabhsimran Singh and Shashank Singh to play freely, mimicking the position Iyer was destined to play.
2) Yash Dhull
If the Punjab aspect is on the lookout for a direct tactical swap – a right-handed No. 3 who can assemble an innings – Yash Dhull is the standout candidate from the unsold record. The 2022 U-19 World Cup-winning captain has usually been considered as a red-ball specialist, which led to him being ignored within the public sale, however his latest white-ball evolution suggests he’s prepared for the massive stage.
Additionally READ: IPL 2026 – 3 players RCB can sign to replace Tim David if he misses out
Dhull has seemed sharp within the 2025-26 home season. In the course of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, he performed the position of the accumulator to perfection for Delhi. He has tightened his method towards tempo and improved his rotation of strike towards spin within the center overs. Signing Dhull permits PBKS to take care of their batting construction. He can slot immediately into the quantity 3 place, providing the soundness required to forestall collapses – a recurring subject for the franchise. He’s a low-risk, high-potential funding who’s determined to show his critics mistaken.
3) Abhinav Manohar
If the Punjab administration decides that they can’t exchange Iyer’s stability, they could select to double down on aggression. Enter Abhinav Manohar. It was a shock to many when the clean-striking Karnataka batter went unsold, particularly given the premium positioned on Indian finishers.
PBKS usually struggles with stagnation within the center overs (7-15), a part Iyer normally dominates by way of good placement. Manohar dominates it by way of brute power. His skill to hit sixes from ball one makes him a harmful asset towards spin. His latest exploits within the Maharaja Trophy, the place he scored at a strike charge nearing 170, show he’s in contact. Bringing him in would require a batting order shuffle – maybe pushing an all-rounder as much as No. 3 – however it could give Punjab a terrifying lower-middle order. A ending duo of Abhinav Manohar and Marcus Stoinis may probably win matches from unattainable conditions, mitigating the lack of their captain’s quantity of runs with sheer influence.
Additionally READ: IPL 2026 – 3 players RCB can sign to replace Josh Hazlewood if he misses out
