PBKS qualified for the playoffs and IPL final in 2025 after a decade.
Punjab Kings (PBKS) had a great Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 season, reaching the playoffs and final for the first time in a decade. The Kings also topped the points table with eight wins and 19 points in 14 matches. While the Shreyas Iyer-led side enjoyed success, they had some vulnerabilities as well. The Indian batting core, featuring Prabhsimran Singh, Priyansh Arya, Shreyas Iyer, Nehal Wadhera, and Shashank Singh, performed exceptionally well, but lacked the support from overseas stars, including all-rounder Marcus Stoinis. Arshdeep Singh and Marco Jansen formed a formidable left-arm pace bowling attack. The hot and cold form and mid-season injury to Yuzvendra Chahal put PBKS under pressure in the business end.
Marcus Stoinis and Yuzvendra Chahal both had their moments, but failed to deliver when the franchise needed them the most. Hence, due to their poor returns on the investment, PBKS are looking to release the experienced duo before the IPL 2026 auction. Stoinis and Chahal were roped in by the Punjab Kings (PBKS) for jaw-dropping INR 11 crore and 18 crore. Their departure would mean PBKS releasing INR 29 crore from their purse.
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Marcus Stoinis often batted at No.7 or 8 and hardly got enough time to play. He provided some brutal finishes with the bat, including an 11-ball 34 and a 16-ball 44 run cameo. But the right-hand batter finished the season with just 160 runs in 14 matches, averaging 26.66. The 35-year-old struggled mightily against leg-spinners throughout the tournament. In five innings, the Australian batter lost his wickets twice and averaged five with a strike rate of 76.9.
Stoinis wasn’t at his best with the ball as well. He couldn’t chip in with over perfectly, having recorded an economy rate over 10 every time he bowled. The right-arm pacer managed just one wicket in 14 overs, averaging 175 and an economy of 12.35.
His struggles were evident in the Major League Cricket (MLC) 2025 too. The right-hand batter managed just 109 runs at an average of 13.62 and a strike rate of 113.54. Even his performance was not up to the mark in the bowling department. He took just eight wickets at an average of 30.25 and an economy of 9.42.
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Yuzavendra Chahal produced some notable performances like four-wicket hauls against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Chennai Super Kings (CSK), including a hat-trick. His four-fer against KKR helped Punjab Kings to register a record win as they successfully defended the lowest team total (111) in IPL history.
However, apart from these two games, Chahal wasn’t exceptional. He managed only 16 wickets in 14 matches, averaging 26.87 and an economy of 9.55. Additionally, the 35-year-old suffered a wrist injury during the business end of the tournament. As a result, the right-arm bowler missed three group stage matches in IPL 2025. His poor form continued in the County Championship 2025. In the last three innings, the leg-spinner has managed just four wickets in one innings. His numbers read: 0/129, 4/51, and 0/175.
Chahal is the highest wicket-taker in IPL history, but his recent struggles are evident from the numbers. His age is also going against him. Hence, PBKS might seek a young spinner or bring in an overseas identity by releasing him from the squad.
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