3 players PBKS should consider trading in after IPL 2025 ft. Anrich Nortje

After a long wait of 11 years, the Punjab Kings (PBKS) finally managed to qualify for the final of the 18th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) but eventually fell short at the final hurdle. They were defeated by the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on June 3.

The new captain-coach combination worked wonders for the Punjab Kings (PBKS) as they finished the group stage as the top-ranked side. The camaraderie of Shreyas Iyer and Ricky Ponting, which was successful at the Delhi Capitals, flourished for Punjab as well, taking them to their first playoffs in more than a decade.

Shreyas was in stupendous form for the majority of the tournament, barring the matches in Mullanpur, and led the side admirably on the field. Ricky Ponting’s astute cricketing brain helped PBKS plan according to game situations and conditions, and the success was there for everyone to see.

Despite most bases being covered, there still are a few areas of concern for PBKS. Here's a look at three possible players Punjab can trade in ahead of next season:

#3 Nishant Sindhu

A promising 21-year-old all-rounder, Nishant Sindhu has already been part of two IPL teams in his short career but is yet to play a single match. He was with the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in 2023 and 2024 before the Gujarat Titans (GT) roped him in ahead of the 2025 mega auction.

Sindhu was instrumental in India’s triumphant U-19 World Cup campaign in 2022, which earned him a place in the CSK squad. Having warmed the benches for three years, he will be keen to have some game time in the biggest T20 tournament in the world.

Meanwhile, the Punjab Kings would want someone with the potential to be a top all-rounder and groom him to become a permanent feature in the side. Sindhu is a handy middle-order batter, having scored a century in T20s. He has also picked 17 wickets in 26 matches at an impressive economy rate of 6.39.

#2 Rasikh Dar Salam

Rasikh Dar was purchased by the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) for a whopping sum of Rs 6 crores in the 2025 IPL mega auction. However, he played just a couple of matches before being benched for the rest of the tournament.

RCB adopted a new plan after the first few matches and by the looks of it, Rasikh didn't quite fit into the scheme of things. With the spin duo of Krunal Pandya and Suyash Sharma doing a terrific job and the rest of the fast bowling unit looking ruthless as ever, there was no spot for the youngster.

The Punjab Kings lacked an out-and-out death-over bowler, and Rasikh has the ability to solve this problem. He has a variety of slower deliveries and can nail the yorkers on a consistent basis. He needs a captain to put a hand around his shoulder and give him much-needed confidence. Rasikh has the ability to gel into the PBKS side, especially with the captain-coach combination.

#1 Anrich Nortje

Once a premier fast bowler for South Africa and the Delhi Capitals, Anrich Nortje has struggled to find a place in the national team in the recent past and played just two matches for the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the 2025 season. He was all over the place in the two matches he played, conceding 83 runs in 42 deliveries.

Having warmed the bench for the rest of the season, there is a strong possibility that KKR will look to part ways with the speedster. PBKS suffered an injury blow to Lockie Ferguson and had to bring in Kyle Jamieson, but unfortunately, as Jamieson was the stopgap replacement, he cannot be retained.

In that regard, PBKS could look to trade in Nortje, who could be a handy option as he can rattle opposition batting line-ups on his day. Nortje has already played 48 matches in the IPL, bagging 61 wickets in the process, so his experience could come in handy for PBKS in the upcoming season.