PBKS Predicted Playing XI vs GT. Credits - AFP
Punjab Kings, after finishing as runners-up last season, will begin their campaign against Gujarat Titans in the Indian Premier League (IPL 2026) in New Chandigarh on Tuesday (March 31).
The Shreyas Iyer-led side is one of those teams at the moment with very few headaches, if any, in their playing combination. Each and every player selects themselves, as they had a complete squad after finishing the last season.
In the mini-auctions, they made minimal tweaks to their squad by adding players like Cooper Connolly, Ben Dwarshuis, Pravin Dubey and Vishal Nishad.
Ahead of their campaign opener, let us look at what the PBKS Predicted Playing XI vs GT can be at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh PCA Stadium.
PBKS Predicted Playing XI vs GT, IPL 2026, Match 4
Top Order: Priyansh Arya, Prabhsimran Singh, Cooper Connolly
Prabhsimran Singh (549) and Priyansh Arya (475) ended IPL 2025 as the second and third highest run-getters for PKBS, respectively.
The young and dynamic opening pair was one of the prime reasons for Punjab's fantastic run last season. The team management will expect the same from the young duo, but Priyansh Arya may suffer from second-season syndrome.
Also Read: Punjab Kings To Give Shreyas Iyer's Position To 'This' Player In IPL 2026
Josh Inglis was batting at number three for the Kings in the business end of the season, but the Aussie had a messy split with the franchise in the build-up to the mini-auction.
As he had stated an availability for just four matches before the mini-auction IPL 2026, Punjab released him and acquired Cooper Connolly. There can be a toss-up between Connolly and Mitchell Owen, but the former might get a nod for his left-handed batting style.
Middle Order and All-Rounders: Shreyas Iyer, Nehal Wadhera, Shashank Singh, Marcus Stoinis, Marco Jansen
Captain Shreyas Iyer selects himself in PBKS Predicted Playing XI vs GT, not just for his captaincy but also for his batting credentials. The right-handed batter is one of the best spin hitters in the country, if not across the globe. He scored 604 runs at a whopping strike rate of 175 last season, and this season is a big one, considering that the PBKS captain would want to audition for a spot in India's T20I line-up.
Nehal Wadhera and Shashank Singh will be next in PBKS's batting order. The two batters have been extraordinary in the last two seasons of the league, and they will be eager to thump their class this season as well, meaning they are brilliant entrants in the PBKS Predicted Playing XI vs GT.
Marcus Stoinis may have been somewhat out of form in the recent past, but the Hulk is a big-match player. He will surely play, followed by the in-form Marco Jansen. The South African is in purple form of his life, delivering match-winning performances both with bat and ball in recent times.
Bowlers: Arshdeep Singh, Xavier Bartlett, Yuzvendra Chahal
Arshdeep Singh and Yuzvendra Chahal were the backbones of PBKS' bowling line-up in IPL 2025. The two snapped 21 and 16 wickets apiece last season, and they will be their go-to men in IPL 2026 as well.
Although Chahal is heading towards the twilight of his career, he is still the highest wicket-taker in the IPL history. Meanwhile, Arshdeep Singh is currently the most effective Indian seamer after Jasprit Bumrah.
In the absence of Lockie Ferguson, Australian pace bowler Xavier Bartlett is expected to be the lone overseas bowler. The right-arm quick is coming off a reasonable BBL and Sheffield Shield, and he was decent in the 2026 T20 World Cup.
With Cooper Connolly bringing an option with his left-arm spin, PBKS might get fancy to play Vijaykumar Vyshak over Harpreet Brar as an Impact Player in the PBKS Predicted Playing XI vs GT.
PBKS Playing XI vs GT, IPL 2026, Match 4
Priyansh Arya, Prabhsimran Singh (wk), Cooper Connolly, Shreyas Iyer (c), Nehal Wadhera, Shashank Singh, Marcus Stoinis, Marco Jansen, Arshdeep Singh, Xavier Bartlett, Yuzvendra Chahal
Impact Players: Harpreet Brar, Azmatullah Omarzai, Musheer Khan, Suryansh Shedge, Vijaykumar Vyshak
Also Read: List Of Pakistan Players Who Have Been Involved In Ball Tampering
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