Reports: Punjab Kings unlikely to retain any player

In what can be called a major development, Punjab Kings won’t retain any of their players ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 mega auctions. Notably, all the eight existing sides have been asked to submit their retention list by November 30. With the deadline approaching, all teams would be busy brainstorming. However, it seems like Punjab Kings owners have decided to revamp their side entirely.

Hence, they won’t make any retention and will enter the bidding event with a full purse of INR 90 crore. It was earlier reported that KL Rahul, the team’s captain in the last two seasons, doesn’t want to extend his association with PBKS. While the Preity Zinta co-owned side would definitely have wanted Rahul on board, they reportedly aren’t keen to continue with any of their other players.

It has to be noted that Rahul has been a prolific run-scorer for Punjab ever since joining the franchise in 2018. He crossed the 600-run mark in three of their four seasons for PBKS. The only season where he couldn’t get the landmark was 2019 where the dasher slammed 593 runs. He also won the Orange Cap in 2020. However, with the 29-year-old reportedly wanting to switch teams, PBKS have decided to go with an entirely fresh side.

Punjab might retain either Ravi Bishnoi or Arshdeep Singh

The major report was carried out by the Telegraph. It was also learned that PBKS are looking at uncapped players like Ravi Bishnoi and Arshdeep Singh as possible retentions but haven’t made their mind yet. With the two players being uncapped, PBKS would need to spend just INR 4 crore to retain one of them. Hence, the Punjab-based side can persist either with Bishnoi or Arshdeep.

It has to be noted that two new teams – based in Ahmedabad and Lucknow respectively – would come in the picture. They have been given an opportunity to pick a maximum of three players from the list of non-retained players. Hence, if Rahul parts ways with the Kings, both sides would like to get him on board.

Besides Rahul, Shreyas Iyer, Shikhar Dhawan, David Warner, Suryakumar Yadav, Mayank Agarwal are some other prominent players who aren’t expected to be retained by their current teams. Hence, they are also likely to be among priority picks of the two new sides.