IPL 2025: Top 3 players PBKS might release ahead of the mega-auction

Punjab Kings is one franchise that loves a fresh start - every now and then. In the last mega auction, they spent big and signed some big-name cricketers like Shikhar Dhawan, Liam Livingstone, Kagiso Rabada and Jonny Bairstow among others but when it comes to on-field performances, they always lack something which results in them not qualifying for the playoffs. They are also one of the three sides in the IPL (featuring from 2008) that have not held the trophy once.

Ahead of the IPL 2025, they are once again thinking about changes and starting afresh to challenge for the title. When teams like Kolkata Knight Riders and Sunrisers Hyderabad were pushing for continuity in the recent BCCI meeting, PBKS made it clear that they were against retaining the majority of the players and wanted every team to get a fair opportunity to rebuild a squad for the upcoming season.

Punjab won’t shy from releasing the majority of their players. Their captain Shikhar Dhawan has already announced retirement and won’t be playing in the upcoming IPL. It leaves them with fewer match-winning players, out of which, these are three cricketers that they would let go despite being regarded as top cricketers.

Here are three key players PBKS can release ahead of IPL 2025:

3. Jonny Bairstow

Punjab signed Jonny Bairstow in the 2022 IPL mega-auction. He was a force to reckon with in limited-overs cricket and was thought to make a huge difference in Punjab. However, that didn’t happen. The England international played 11 matches in the 2022 edition and scored just 253 runs at a strike rate of 144.57. 

Despite having a flop year, Punjab backed him for 2023 but the cricketer didn’t join the squad as he was nursing an injury. In 2024, he returned and played 11 matches for the team and scored 298 runs at a strike rate of 152.82. It wasn’t good enough as PBKS failed to qualify for the playoffs.

He was expected to take charge and become one of the leaders in the locker room but Bairstow could never do justice to the talent he possessed. Currently, he is out of all three formats for England and it may even happen that the keeper-batter might struggle to find an IPL franchise for himself next season. 

Also Check: Top 3 players KKR might release ahead of IPL 2025 mega-auction