On the retention deadline, the one-time IPL runners-up Punjab Kings (PBKS) have announced their retained players for the IPL 2025.

Punjab Kings are known for their underperformances. They have finished in the top four of the IPL seasons only twice. Apart from suffering elimination from the semifinals in the inaugural IPL edition (2008), they were the league stage champions at the IPL 2014, where they finished as the runners-up after losing the final against Kolkata Knight Riders. 

Punjab Kings haven’t played in the IPL playoffs for the last 10 years. Last season, they finished in the ninth position.

While Shikhar Dhawan led the PBKS in the complete IPL 2023, he initially led the team during the 2024 edition before a shoulder injury knocked him out of the tournament. English all-rounder Sam Curran led the Punjab franchise as a stand-in captain in 2024, and Jitesh Sharma was the stand-in captain for their last match of the 2024 season. 

Punjab Kings player retention

Punjab Kings have announced only two uncapped retentions with a total value of INR 9.50 Crore. The franchise can play a big role in the upcoming mega auction, where they will start with the remaining purse value of INR 110.50 crore. 

(Capped)

None

(Uncapped)

Shashank Singh (Indian): INR 5.50 Crore

Prabhsimran Singh (Indian): INR 4 Crore

Right-to-Match (RTM) card availability for the mega auction

4 capped players

While Punjab Kings (PBKS) are struggling for a long time, their former coach is disappointed with the team and opened up his retention theory for the team.

We are getting closer to knowing the details of the retention of each team before the IPL 2025 mega auction. The deadline is 5 PM on October 31. 

Each team can retain a maximum of six players, including a maximum of five capped players (Indian or foreigner) and a maximum of two uncapped players. The lesser number of retentions means that the team can use the remaining number for the Right-to-Match (RTM) option. 

In their IPL journey, Punjab Kings, formerly known as Kings XI Punjab, reached the next stage only twice. While they were semifinalists at the inaugural IPL (2008), they were runners-up in the IPL 2014.

In the last 10 years, PBKS failed to reach the playoffs. Since the 10-team competition from IPL 2022, PBKS finished in the sixth, eighth, and ninth places, respectively. 

For Punjab Kings, I don't think I would retain any players: Tom Moody

Tom Moody, under whom SunRisers Hyderabad won their first IPL title in 2016, was the head coach for Punjab Kings in their first three seasons. He is disappointed with the present PBKS players, especially the capped players. 

Moody feels that he wouldn’t retain the capped PBKS players before the mega auction. However, he would use the RTM for Arshdeep Singh, Sam Curran, and Kagiso Rabada, along with Jitesh Sharma.

Moody told Star Sports, “For Punjab Kings, I don't think I would retain any players, certainly not capped players, but I’d be looking to use the right-to-match option for players like Arshdeep Singh, Sam Curran, and Rabada. Jitesh Sharma is another one I’d consider using the right-to-match for in the auction.” 

While Harshal Patel won the Purple Cap in the last season with 24 wickets for Punjab Kings, Arshdeep, Curran, and Rabada took 19, 16, and 11 wickets, respectively. 

Tom Moody on uncapped players

Talking about the uncapped players, Moody would retain players like Shashank Singh and Harpreet Brar.

Moody added, “When it comes to uncapped players, there are a couple of good players I’d like to secure before the auction: Shashank Singh, who is a solid middle-order power hitter and had a great season last year, and Harpreet Brar, the left-arm spinner.” 

Shashank Singh was the leading run-scorer for PBKS in the IPL 2024 with 354 runs in 14 games with an average of 44.25 and a strike rate of 164.65, including two half-centuries. Meanwhile, Brar took seven wickets in the last season.  

Ricky Ponting is beginning his journey with the Punjab Kings by forming a dedicated support staff team, including some familiar faces from his time at Delhi Capitals. With a new four-year contract, he’s setting the stage for a successful tenure.

Familiar faces join Ponting at Punjab Kings

Ricky Ponting has taken his first major step in creating his team at Punjab Kings, starting with the addition of James Hopes, the former Australian all-rounder. Hopes, who has worked closely with Ponting at Delhi Capitals, joins as the new fast-bowling coach. Hopes had been offered a contract extension with the Delhi franchise after Ponting’s exit, but he chose to follow his former captain to Punjab Kings. This move signifies the exit of Charl Langeveldt, the former South African pacer, who had been in charge of fast-bowling under Trevor Bayliss in the last two IPL seasons.

Hopes, known for his international career with 84 ODIs and 12 T20Is for Australia, previously played for Punjab Kings (then Kings XI Punjab) during the inaugural IPL season in 2008. His familiarity with the IPL landscape and experience in the league will bring strategic insights to the team’s bowling lineup.

Key retentions and departures in the support staff

Alongside Hopes, Ponting has retained Brad Haddin as assistant coach, with responsibilities over batting and wicket-keeping. Haddin, initially brought in by Bayliss, had worked with Ponting in the past and has been a reliable presence for the team’s coaching framework. Sunil Joshi, former India spinner, also remains in his role as spin-bowling coach, adding continuity to the Punjab Kings’ coaching roster. Sanjay Bangar, however, has exited from his role as head of cricket development. His contract, initially set for three years, was terminated midway.

See Also: BCCI announces Indian squads for South Africa and Australia tours

Ponting has kept other essential staff, such as Adrian le Roux as strength and conditioning (S&C) coach and Andrew Leipus as team physio, to ensure continuity in the player fitness program. Now, his main priority is finalizing the player retention list, with discussions around key players like Arshdeep Singh and options for utilizing Right to Match (RTM) cards to secure talent at competitive prices.

The Indian Premier League (IPL) team Punjab Kings (PBKS) has reportedly ended the journey with Trevor Bayliss and Sanjay Bangar, the head coach and head of cricket development, respectively.  

Earlier this month, the Punjab Kings officially announced Ricky Ponting as the new head coach of the team. The team CEO Satish Menon also revealed that Ponting will handle the team for the next four years. 

Ponting’s appointment almost confirmed Trevor Bayliss’ exit from the team. Punjab Kings also ended their contract with Sanjay Bangar.

SEE ALSO: Shakib Al Hasan announces his retirement from the shortest format

Trevor Bayliss joined Punjab Kings after IPL 2022

Bayliss joined Punjab Kings as the head coach after the IPL 2022. The Australian had replaced Anil Kumble in the head coach role. Kumble coached PBKS from IPL 2020 to IPL 2022. While the Punjab franchise finished in sixth places under Kumble’s three-year coaching, including in the ten-team competition in the IPL 2022, the team finished in eighth and ninth places under Bayliss’ coaching in the 2023 and 2024 seasons, respectively.

Sanjay Bangar rejoined Punjab Kings in December 2023

On the other hand, Sanjay Bangar joined Punjab Kings as head of cricket development in December 2023. Previously, Bangar was the head coach of the Punjab franchise between 2014 and 2016. 

Punjab Kings are struggling

Punjab Kings, formerly known as Kings XI Punjab, are among the most underperformed teams in IPL history. Although they debuted in the inaugural edition of the IPL (2008) and appeared in every IPL season, they only managed to finish in the top four twice. 

During the inaugural IPL season, the Punjab franchise finished in second place in the points table but lost the semi-final against Chennai Super Kings. 

In the IPL 2014, Punjab Kings finished on top of the points table. Although they lost the Qualifier 1 against Kolkata Knight Riders by 28 runs, they won the Qualifier 2 against Chennai Super Kings by 24 runs to book their ticket for the final. In the final of that tournament, they lost against Kolkata Knight Riders by five wickets in the final over and finished as the runners-up. 

In the Champions League T20 2014, Punjab Kings were eliminated from the semi-final. 

Legendary Australian captain Ricky Ponting has been appointed as the head coach of the IPL team Punjab Kings. The IPL team has officially announced their new head coach appointment on Wednesday (September 18).

In the IPL 2023 and 2024, Trevor Bayliss was the head coach of the Punjab Kings. Now, from the IPL 2025, the Punjab-based IPL franchise will play under Ricky Ponting’s coaching. Ponting will have an important role in the upcoming mega auction.

In the official statement, Punjab Kings’ CEO Satish Menon revealed that Ponting has been appointed as the head coach of the team for the next four years.

𝐏𝐔𝐍TER is 𝐏𝐔𝐍JAB! 🦁♥️

🚨 Official Statement 🚨
Ricky Ponting joins Punjab Kings as the new Head Coach! #RickyPonting #SaddaPunjab #PunjabKings pic.twitter.com/DS9iAHDAu7

— Punjab Kings (@PunjabKingsIPL) September 18, 2024

I am excited to take up the new challenge: Ricky Ponting

Ponting said, "I am grateful to Punjab Kings for presenting me with the opportunity to be the new Head Coach. I am excited to take up the new challenge. I had great conversations with the owners and the management about the way forward and was truly elated to see the alignment of our visions for the team. We all want to repay the fans who have stayed with the franchise over the years and we promise that they will see a much different Punjab Kings going forward."

SEE ALSO: ICC delegation set to inspect security measures in Pakistan; Here is why?

Punjab Kings are struggling in the IPL for a long time

Punjab Kings have been among the underperformed IPL teams for many years. Apart from their IPL 2008 semi-final exit and IPL 2014 runners-up finishing, Punjab Kings, formerly known as Kings XI Punjab, have never finished in the top four of an IPL season. 

Punjab Kings last time finished in the top five during the IPL 2017. While ten teams have been participating in the IPL since 2022, Punjab Kings finished in the sixth, eighth, and ninth places in the last three seasons, respectively. 

Ricky Ponting has a great experience in IPL coaching

Ricky Ponting is a very experienced coach, especially in the Indian Premier League. During the IPL 2015 and 2016, Ponting was the head coach of Mumbai Indians. Under his coaching, Mumbai Indians won the IPL 2015 trophy. 

Between 2018 and 2024, Ponting was the head coach of the IPL team Delhi Capitals (formerly known as Delhi Daredevils). During his coaching tenure, Delhi Capitals made huge improvements, including reaching the playoffs for three straight seasons (2019, 2020, and 2021) and finishing as the runners-up in the IPL 2020, which was their first-ever IPL final appearance. 

Following in the footsteps of two time ODI World Cup winning captain Ricky Ponting, another Australian Trevor Bayliss is expected to leave his coaching role in the Indian Premier League (IPL). Bayliss the head coach of the Punjab Kings (PBKS) may part ways with the Mohali based team before the IPL season 2025.

The Punjab Kings did not make it to the playoffs this year, finishing ninth out of ten teams. They managed only six wins and suffered nine losses. The last time PBKS made it to the playoffs was in 2014.

Bayliss’s contract ends

Trevor Bayliss’s two-year contract with the Punjab Kings, owned by Bollywood actress Preity Zinta, has ended. Reports suggest that the team is unlikely to renew his contract for the next T20 season.

According to Cricbuzz, the Punjab Kings are looking for an Indian coach for the 2025 IPL season. They are considering several candidates including Sanjay Bangar, who was previously the head coach and is now the director of cricket development.

A board meeting to decide on the head coach role was scheduled for July 22, but it didn’t happen. The team is still exploring other options before the mega-auction later this year.

Why Bayliss might leave

Sources say PBKS wants an Indian coach to lead the team. Although they don’t have issues with Bayliss’s coaching style, they are unhappy with the results over the past two seasons. Despite having a strong squad, the team has not performed well. Bayliss took over from Anil Kumble before the 2023 season.

Indian coaches are popular in the IPL. Recently, Gautam Gambhir and Chandrakant Pandit guided the Kolkata Knight Riders, while Ashish Nehra led the Gujarat Titans to the title in 2022. Dinesh Karthik will join the Royal Challengers Bengaluru as a batting coach for the upcoming season.

Bayliss has coached Kolkata Knight Riders, Sunrisers Hyderabad, and Punjab Kings, as well as the England cricket team. However his recent T20 record has been disappointing. The PBKS management will review the last season’s performance before making any final decisions.

Future of IPL coaching

Rahul Dravid is drawing interest from several IPL teams. The future of Ashish Nehra and Vikram Solanki with the Gujarat Titans is uncertain. The Kolkata Knight Riders are also expected to appoint new coaches after Gautam Gambhir, Abhishek Nayar, and Ryan ten Doeschate moved to the Indian team.

The Indian Premier League, a veritable breeding ground for cricketing talent, has once again brought a group of promising players to the fore. The just-concluded 2024 edition was a platform for these emerging Indian players, who could potentially bring about a sea change in the national cricket team.

Here’s a rundown of the top five Indian players who, based on their IPL performances, could be on their way to their first international call.

1. Nitish Kumar Reddy (Sunrisers Hyderabad)

Sunrisers Hyderabad has uncovered yet another cricketing treasure in the form of Nitish Kumar Reddy, a pace-bowling all-rounder. This sought-after combination frequently piques the curiosity of Indian cricket selection. At the age of 21, Reddy has distinguished himself by his ability to flourish in high-pressure circumstances and guide the innings to a successful completion.

The youngster also won this year’s Emerging Player of the Year title, scoring 303 runs in 15 matches at an average of 33.67. He took three wickets with the ball and had the best bowling stats of 2/17. Nitish played a significant part in enabling the team’s third IPL finale match. 

2. Abhishek Sharma (Sunrisers Hyderabad)

Having associations since 2019 with the Sunrisers Hyderabad, Abhishek Sharma paid back the trust after a memorable cricketing display as the team’s opener. With his opening partner, Travis Head, Sharma has created havoc with the bat by making a sound and aggressive start towards the team’s high-scoring total, with their highest team total of 287/3 runs against Royal Challengers Bengaluru being one of them.

He has smashed 484 runs in 16 matches, with a strike rate of over 200. As an all-rounder, he also has the potential to turn the ball and scalp some crucial wickets. It would be interesting to see how he performs as an opener when he gets his maiden international call in the future.

Also Read: IPL 2024: Ranking all IPL teams captains

3. Riyan Parag (Rajasthan Royals)

Riyan Parag has been a part of Rajasthan Royals for an extended period, but his performance has gradually declined season by season. With numerous trolls and backlash, Parag gave a befitting reply to such haters with his all-rounding performance in the recent season. He acted as the medium of robust to the team’s middle-order batting and helped in scalping crucial wins for the team.

He emerged as the team’s best run-scorer in IPL 2024, achieving the third-highest total tally with 573 runs at a strike rate of 149.21 throughout 14 innings. With a sophisticated approach and a relaxed attitude, Parag’s proficient tactics have created a lasting impression, which implies that a call-up to the Indian squad may be approaching.

4. Mayank Yadav (Lucknow Super Giants)

Though Mayank Yadav’s IPL career was cut short owing to repeated ailments, the speed phenom made the most of his opportunities while still in the league. Mayank’s blazing speed and pinpoint precision in his maiden match astounded the crowd.

Despite bowling only 12.1 overs in the competition and taking seven wickets with a fantastic economy rate of 6.98, Mayank’s early exit from the IPL 2024 did not herald the end of his career. With his impressive quickness and intriguing talent, he is undoubtedly on selectors’ radar for future possibilities.

5. Shashank Singh (Punjab Kings)

During the 2024 IPL auction, Shashank Singh’s purchase by the Punjab Kings was an atmosphere of confusion and rumours, as the team wanted another player going by the same name. But this purchase turned out to be a masterstroke and made one of the players who might get his India debut call very soon. He became the face of the team’s middle-order lineup.

The batter hit 415 runs in the 14 games he played in the competition this season, with a strike-rate of 161. The effect of his knocks made him a superstar for the Punjab Kings as he came out to bat amid tight moments and won them the game when the team had practically no chance of success.

The 2024 IPL edition is one of the most intensifying tournaments in the Indian franchise-based fraternity. With many broken records and some commendable performances, the team’s captains have acted as the epitome of such cricketing displays, making the concluded edition more memorable for the cricketing world.

With different captains having different strategies and intent, here is a ranking of all the teams’ heads who have contributed to the fullest with their cricketing minds and calibre in the recently concluded IPL 2024 edition. The ranking is based on a combination of factors, including the team’s performance, the captain’s leadership skills, and their contributions to the team’s success.

1. Shreyas Iyer- Kolkata Knight Riders

The 2024 IPL champions, Kolkata Knight Riders, have been a jack-of-all-trades team, checking all the boxes in all aspects, with particular praise from their skipper, Shreyas Iyer, and the coaching staff. Shreyas Iyer has done well as a captain, and the team is doing well under his leadership.

His decision-making has been sound, with no significant weaknesses identified in his leadership. KKR has perhaps the finest balance of bat and ball. The leading cause for this has been player selection and, therefore, player performance. He played aggressive cricket with the bat, hitting 351 runs at a strike rate of 146.

2. Pat Cummins- Sunrisers Hyderabad

Pat Cummins excelled as a captain. After performing well for Australia, which has a strong lineup, the star player’s challenge was to turn around SRH’s fortunes. And he did just that. Thanks to Cummins’ inspired captaincy, the hitters transformed the dynamics of the league with their aggressive style, and the developing bowlers dominated it to the fullest.

Cummins was also effective with the ball, taking 18 wickets over the season. As a captain, he inspired the SRH team to break records in the IPL 2024. Cummins has pulled the best out of numerous players this season, leading them to the grand finals.

3. Faf du Plessis- Royal Challengers Bengaluru

Though the team had one heck of a forgettable start, Royal Challengers Bengaluru made a fantabulous and memorable comeback, even when there was a bleak 1% chance of qualification. All credit would go to the former South African ace opener, Faf du Plessis, who focused on strengthening its batting core and improvising its bowling department.

Overall, it was a valiant display of captaincy and team effort by the Royal Challengers Bengaluru. As of his batting performance, du Plessis made 438 runs at a strike rate of 161.

4. Sanju Samson- Rajasthan Royals

In the initial and mid stages of the league, Rajasthan Royals (RR) were the favourites to finish first in the points standings, having won eight of their nine games. However, their season deteriorated following that, and they made the playoffs in third place.

This was primarily about critiquing the team’s consistency and captain Sanju Samson’s evolving plans and methods. If not for this season, Samson is praised for his constant batting and captaincy efforts, which was unsurprising given his performance this season. He had a spectacular batting tenure, amassing 531 runs with a strike rate of 153.

5. Rishabh Pant- Delhi Capitals

Rishabh Pant returns to play after being out for more than 15 months. After avoiding a life-threatening accident, the top player returned to cricket and performed well as a batsman. But he was a decent skipper. He began his IPL 2024 campaign with some difficulties.

But by the second half of the tournament, he had returned to his excellent levels. The Delhi Capitals skipper scored 446 runs with a strike rate of 155. Pant made poor selections about the team’s batting and bowling. Pant would need to improve over time for the following season.

See Also: Gambhir reveals KKR’s 2024 victory secret

6. Ruturaj Gaikwad- Chennai Super Kings

Ruturaj Gaikwad captained Chennai Super Kings for the first time in IPL history. His leadership was not up to par, but it could have a future influence on the team’s destiny in the long term, especially after a long and prosperous era of MS Dhoni. The batting order constantly changed in numerous games, hampered the players’ performance.

Ruturaj Gaikwad led Chennai Super Kings through a consistent season, not to forget his spectacular batting stint by scoring 583 runs, making him the second-highest run-scorer of the tournament. Gaikwad won only seven games in his 14-match campaign, indicating significant room for development.

7. Sam Curran- Punjab Kings

Though Shikhar Dhawan had to lead the Punjab Kings full-time, Sam Curran’s appearance as a captain for majority of time was interesting to check out. However, he wasn’t appealing with his overall all-rounder performance, as he made just 270 runs at a strike rate of 123 and snapped 16 wickets.

But, his ability to utilise emerging domestic talent has prompted his arsenal to change the game and can act as the future of the team’s successes. In the end, the team was able to win just a mere five wins and ended up ninth in the points table.

8. KL Rahul- Lucknow Super Giants

KL Rahul led the Lucknow Super Giants to a 50-50 record, winning seven of their fourteen matches. Under his guidance, the squad won as many games as it lost, indicating an up-and-down season. They started brightly but lost momentum in the middle.

Meanwhile, Rahul scored 520 runs this season, but his strike rate of 136 was significantly below average and ordinary for openers in the IPL 2024 season, which was a high-scoring event. It sums up his tactics of runs coming off his bat, but not at the rate his side needs.  The Super Giants missed the playoffs for the first time in their three-season history.

9. Shubman Gill- Gujarat Titans

Shubman Gill, a budding opening batter, has become the captain of the Gujarat Titans after Hardik Pandya moved to the Mumbai Indians. In his first stint as captain, Gill faced challenges, including critical player injuries, leading to some perplexed and vague decisions.

Despite this, he viewed it as a learning experience. The team won only five out of 14 matches, but Gill’s batting was solid, with 426 runs in 12 games. But it will be interesting to see how he evolves as a captain for the Gujarat Titans.

10. Hardik Pandya- Mumbai Indians

Hardik Pandya, the new Mumbai Indians captain, was perhaps the most disappointing captain and big-name player of the IPL 2024 season, especially given that he led Gujarat to an IPL trophy and a runners-up finish in the previous two seasons.

Despite huge expectations, the Mumbai Indians ended at the bottom of the points table, winning only four matches out of 14 games. Hardik scored 216 runs at an average of 18 as a player and took 11 wickets. Given his previous success, Pandya’s captaincy has been more forgettable this season.

The 2024 edition of the Indian Premier League, a tournament that has always set the benchmark for the shortest format of the game, has once again raised the bar.

This year, we’ve witnessed some incredible performances, with shattered long-standing records and international and emerging players making their mark on Indian soil. The batters of the tournament have indeed embodied the spirit of IPL 2024. In this listicle, we’re taking a closer look at the top five extraordinary batting innings that have captivated the cricketing world in the 2024 edition. 

1. Sunil Narine (Kolkata Knight Riders) vs Rajasthan Royals- 109 runs off 56 balls

Hailed as one of the toughest spinners, Sunil Narine, the Trinidadian spinmeister, has proved his impeccable calibre with the bat, thanks to the IPL platform for displaying his willow-handling skills. Though he started his stint as an opener during the 2017 Big Bash League, his long stint with the Kolkata Knight Riders helped him unleash batting prowess, and the clash against Rajasthan Royals summed it all up.

Against a robust Royals bowling attack on the vast Eden Gardens track, Narine pumped up his batting shots and got off to a flying start. With 13 boundaries and six sixes, he had hit his first-ever century across his batting timeline, with a commendable strike rate of 194.64. To add things up, this memorable batting innings made him the first player in the IPL to have scored a hundred and picked a five-wicket haul.

2. Jos Buttler (Rajasthan Royals) vs Kolkata Knight Riders- 107* runs off 60 balls

To give a small continuation to Sunil Narine’s memorable first century, it was in the same clash of the best; the fans witnessed another stupendous batting innings. After giving a target of 224 runs to the Rajasthan Royals, the away side was up for it amongst the vast grounds of the Eden Gardens. But he had got off slightly slow as he made only 25 off his first 18 balls.

But although struggling with the injury that kept him out of the last RR game and rapidly running out of batting partners, Buttler stayed the course. And taking the match to an enthralling last ball, Buttler’s innings of 107* runs off 60 balls, with nine fours and six sixes, he had taken his visitor’s side team to a victory by two wickets, which kind of overshadowed Narine’s commendable knock. 

3. Will Jacks (Royal Challengers Bengaluru) vs Gujarat Titans- 100* runs off 41 balls

With a quick-pace triple-digit mark and an awestruck reaction by King Kohli, Will Jacks’s century is a wholesome and flavourful batting innings. Starting things off with 17 runs in just 17 balls, in the successive 24 balls, the English batter hit the remaining runs to reach his first-ever IPL century.

Though he had come lately to the Royal Challengers Bengaluru batting campaign, he had proved to be an instrumental element to the team’s middle order batting, which led him to a memorable six-consecutive winning stint, which led them to seal the final playoffs spot, when they just had a mere 1% chance, symbolising the team’s resilient and robust mentality approach. 

See Also: First batch of Indian Team leaves for USA ahead of T20 World Cup 2024

4. Travis Head (Sunrisers Hyderabad) vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru- 102 runs off 41 balls

In the clash between the Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Sunrisers Hyderabad on the small dimensions of Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru broke the long-held record of the highest team score ever in IPL, where Sunrisers Hyderabad took that title away from the previous holders of Bengaluru, thanks to the swashbuckling Aussie batter, Travis Head.

With already announcing his stint in the IPL from an excellent first-match performance, Head accelerated his performance and got him to this stage, where he proved to be handy in scoring the highest team total of IPL of 287/3 by making a century off just 39 balls. In his innings of 102 runs off 41 balls, he hit nine fours and eight sixes at a colossal strike rate of 248.78. 

5. Shashank Singh (Punjab Kings) vs Gujarat Titans- 61* runs off 29 balls 

In this listicle, we have seen all the centuries making the mark, but a few innings have created a long-lasting impact, but it didn’t require a triple-digit mark. One such innings is by the Punjab Kings’ middle-order batting powerhouse, Shashank Singh. It all started in last year’s IPL auction when the Kings bought him instead of another player with the same name, leading to a case of mistaken identity.

With several rumours goofed up, the franchise clarified it and mentioned that he was always on their planned list. As it implies, the batter from Chattisgarh paid back the trust and scored an impeccable innings of 61* runs off 29 balls in a 200-run chase against the Gujarat Titans. This innings is a testament to seizing any opportunity given to a person from different walks of life, which also bolstered the batter’s confidence and led him to be a valuable batting asset to the Punjab Kings. 

The league stage of IPL 2024 has come to an exciting close with Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), Rajasthan Royals (RR), and Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) emerging as the top four teams. One of these teams will lift the championship trophy this Sunday, May 26, at the MA Chidambaram Stadium.

The league round comprised 70 matches, featuring intense competition among the ten teams. Despite their efforts, Gujarat Titans, Lucknow Super Giants, Chennai Super Kings, Mumbai Indians, Delhi Capitals, and Punjab Kings ended up in the bottom six positions, missing out on the playoffs.

Overseas players have been instrumental in the success of the top four teams. SRH and RCB have been led by overseas captains Pat Cummins and Faf du Plessis, respectively. Meanwhile, Sunil Narine and Jos Buttler have played pivotal roles in KKR and RR’s journey to the playoffs. These players have been regular fixtures in their teams’ match squads whenever available, demonstrating their immense value.

While many overseas stars shone brightly, some highly talented foreign players did not get an opportunity to showcase their skills during the league stage of IPL 2024. Here are three notable players who remained on the bench throughout the season:

1. Kyle Mayers – Lucknow Super Giants

Kyle Mayers, who impressed as a first-choice opener for Lucknow Super Giants in IPL 2023, was surprisingly not given a single game this season. The Caribbean all-rounder had accumulated 379 runs in 13 innings at a strike rate of 144.11 last year, with a top score of 73.

Mayers also contributed with the ball, delivering seven overs of medium pace at a respectable economy rate of 8.43. Despite his strong performance in the previous season, Lucknow opted to stick with Quinton de Kock, who struggled with form. Mayers was only seen during pre-match practice sessions and post-match discussions, leaving fans and analysts puzzled over his exclusion.

2. Chris Woakes – Punjab Kings

Chris Woakes, who was acquired by Punjab Kings for a hefty sum of 14.2 crores, was another notable absentee from the playing XI throughout the league stage. Woakes is a proven match-winner in international cricket, capable of making significant contributions with both bat and ball.

It was anticipated that he would share the new ball with Sam Curran or Arshdeep Singh. However, PBKS chose not to utilize Woakes, except for the final match against Sunrisers Hyderabad, where he was unavailable. The decision to keep such a valuable player on the bench has been widely criticized.

3. Glenn Phillips – Sunrisers Hyderabad

Glenn Phillips, regarded as one of the most versatile players in world cricket, did not get a chance to play for Sunrisers Hyderabad this season. Known for his aggressive batting, effective spin bowling, exceptional fielding, and wicket-keeping skills, Phillips remained on the sidelines.

SRH’s reliance on Travis Head and Heinrich Klaasen, who have been in superb form, along with captain Pat Cummins occupying one of the overseas slots, left no room for Phillips. The fourth overseas spot was rotated between Marco Jansen and Vijayakanth Viyaskanth, further limiting Phillips’ opportunities.

See Also: PCB eyes Vivian Richards for mentor role in T20 World Cup 2024

As the league stage concludes, all eyes are now on the playoffs. Fans eagerly await to see which team will emerge victorious at the MA Chidambaram Stadium on May 26. With the top four teams featuring a blend of domestic talent and overseas prowess, the final showdown promises to be a thrilling culmination to another memorable IPL season.