IPL 2025: 5 Domestic players who can make a difference for Punjab Kings

Here’s our pick of 5 domestic players who we believe can be the game changers for the Punjab Kings (PBKS) in the 2025 Indian Premier League (IPL) season.

The Punjab Kings, despite boasting a talented squad, had a lot of games that didn’t go their way last season as they eventually ended their 2024 campaign in ninth place with just five wins.

Now, with a revamped squad, a new leader, and a new coaching staff, can the Kings finally get it all together and win their first-ever IPL title under the leadership of Shreyas Iyer? 

Prabhsimran Singh

The 24-year-old wicketkeeper-batter has now had two decent seasons with the Punjab Kings, earning the faith of the management team with a INR 4-crore retention. Specially coming in as an Impact Sub, Singh played some crucial innings throughout the 2024 season as an opener. 

In the lead up to IPL 2025, the 24-year-old has been in fine touch for his state side, Punjab. In the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT), he scored 207 runs in six innings with a strike rate of 165.6, while in the ongoing Vijay Hazare Trophy (VHT) he has done even better, scoring 498 runs in eight innings while striking at over 128.

With the Kings’ lack of opening options, it’ll be crucial for them to have Singh at his explosive best and performing consistently. 

Shashank Singh

Shashank Singh was one of the standout performers for the Punjab Kings last season. He came out of nowhere, played some blinders, and took the team over the line from some very tough situations. Thus, having signed him for a mere INR 20 lakh during the 2024 mini auction, the Kings chose to retain him for INR 5.5 crore ahead of the 2025 mega auction. 

However, since scoring 354 runs in 14 innings at a strike rate of 164.6, the 33-year-old Chhattisgarh batter has been on a lean run of form. He scored just 76 runs in six innings in the Chhattisgarh Premier League and followed it with another average showing at the SMAT, scoring 102 runs at a strike rate of 132. 

Although the PBKS have looked to address their fragile batting order from last season, there still isn’t one batter who can be entrusted to challenge for the Orange Cup. Thus, it’ll be crucial that the lower-order batters like Shashank Singh deliver the goods if the team are to make a bid for their first-ever IPL title. 

Vyshak Vijaykumar

Known for his variations and rise as he went from being a net bowler to an overnight IPL sensation, the 27-year-old Karnataka bowler will prove to be a valuable asset at the new PBKS home ground in Mullanpur, which aided bowlers like him immensely last season.

After picking up nine wickets in his debut season with the Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Vijaykumar could only manage four games last season, though he still looked to be one of the better fast bowlers for the Kings. 

Despite his average showing in this season’s SMAT, picking up only five wickets with an economy of 10.22, Vijaykumar will remain in contention mainly due to his ability to bowl change-up deliveries on a consistent basis, something the Kings lacked from Harshal Patel last season. Moreover, given they have largely relied on fast and hit-the-deck-hard bowlers, Vijayakumar’s addition will be a great option for the PBKS both as a starter and an Impact Sub. 

Yash Thakur

The 26-year-old fast bowler, following his exceptional debut season with the Lucknow Super Giants that saw him pick up 13 wickets in nine innings, had a subdued 2024 season as he plucked 11 wickets and went at over 11 runs per over. His exceptional skills and quick pace make Thakur a promising bowler, though his lack of control and inconsistency have led to him leaking quite a few runs. 

Thakur was in decent form in this year’s SMAT playing for Vidharbha as he picked up eight wickets in six innings. With the Kings likely to go with Glenn Maxwell and Marcus Stoinis up top, it’ll leave two overseas slots, meaning the third seamer role or Impact Sub appearances will be the most likely route the Kings will take with Thakur. 

Harnoor Singh

The Kings are currently short on options for their opening slots ahead of IPL 2025. Apart from Prabhsimran Singh, who walks in as one of the two openers in the playing XI, the PBKS management will have to go either with Harnoor Singh or Musheer Khan unless they promote someone like Marcus Stoinis to open the batting alongside Prabhsimran. 

While the Australian all-rounder hasn’t opened the innings for any of his franchises across different competitions, the 19-year-old Musheer Khan, despite his heroics in the Ranji Trophy, is yet to be tested in the limited-overs format. Harnoor Singh, on the other hand, has had an excellent Sher-E-Punjab T20 campaign, scoring 578 runs in 12 innings and finishing the tournament as the Player of the Series. Moreover, his strike rate 153 in the competition means the 21-year-old also possesses the explosive batting required to give the Kings fast starts during Powerplay overs.