3 PBKS players who should be released ahead of the IPL 2026 auction ft. Yuzvendra Chahal

The Punjab Kings (PBKS) had a mightily impressive campaign in the 2025 Indian Premier League (IPL). Under the leadership of new captain Shreyas Iyer, they finished in the top two and qualified for their second IPL final.

Although the trophy didn't come their way, Punjab gave an excellent account of themselves and will enter the next campaign as one of the teams to watch out for. Shreyas and Co. have a strong squad that covers most bases, but even they have a few holes to fill.

In order to strengthen the roster even further, PBKS could release a few underperforming players and enter the IPL 2026 auction with enough of a purse to target the big names.

PBKS' squad for IPL 2025 (including replacements): Shreyas Iyer, Shashank Singh, Nehal Wadhera, Harnoor Singh Pannu, Priyansh Arya, Pyla Avinash, Josh Inglis, Vishnu Vinod, Prabhsimran Singh, Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, Marco Jansen, Harpreet Brar, Azmatullah Omarzai, Aaron Hardie, Musheer Khan, Suryansh Shedge, Yuzvendra Chahal, Pravin Dubey, Arshdeep Singh, Lockie Ferguson, Yash Thakur, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Kuldeep Sen, Xavier Bartlett, Mitchell Owen, Kyle Jamieson (temp).

On that note, here are three PBKS players who should be released ahead of the IPL 2026 auction.

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#3 Yuzvendra Chahal

2025 IPL - Chennai Super Kings v Punjab Kings - Source: Getty

Yuzvendra Chahal was one of the most expensive players picked at the IPL 2025 auction. The leg-spinner went for ₹18 crore to PBKS, who didn't get the best version of him.

In 14 games, Chahal picked up only 16 wickets at an economy rate of 9.56. Shreyas often didn't trust him to bowl his full quota, and as always, his tendency to float the ball up worked against him. The 35-year-old was also a liability on the field.

There aren't many wrist-spinners on the market, but continuing to spend a mammoth amount on Chahal could prevent PBKS from being able to strengthen their squad in other areas. Scouting a decent domestic option or attempting to buy the veteran back for a cheaper price could be on the cards.

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#2 Aaron Hardie

Australia v South Africa - T20 Series: Game 1 - Source: Getty

Aaron Hardie is regarded as one of the world's best all-round prospects, but he clearly has some room to grow before he can become an IPL-level player. The Aussie has been out of his depth while facing spin, and his bowling hasn't developed enough for him to be trusted with a few overs.

Hardie's connection with countryman Ricky Ponting has worked in his favor, but Punjab will want to strengthen their overseas department ahead of IPL 2026. With names like Azmatullah Omarzai, Marcus Stoinis and Mitchell Owen in their ranks, PBKS could look to use that overseas slot elsewhere.

Speaking of Stoinis...

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#1 Marcus Stoinis

2025 IPL: Qualifier 2 - Punjab Kings v Mumbai Indians - Source: Getty

Marcus Stoinis played a few impactful cameos for PBKS in IPL 2025, but there are doubts over whether he can be considered an all-rounder at the franchise level. The Aussie has been sparingly used with the ball in recent times, with his bowling not being reliable at any stage of the innings.

While Stoinis is a great utility player who can finish innings off, he is currently eating up ₹11 crore of PBKS' budget. Given the number of balls he faces for the Kings, he might not be a value-for-money pick. Shashank Singh and Marco Jansen have proven themselves capable of batting in the lower order, and getting someone like Cameron Green - who can also chip in with hit-the-deck bowling - might be a better idea for the franchise.