Punjab Kings (PBKS) have not managed to make it into the IPL playoffs since 2014 when they reached the finals. Since then, they have finished at the 6th spot in the last four IPL seasons.
Ahead of the IPL 2023 season, PBKS parted ways with head coach Anil Kumble and replaced him with Trevor Bayliss and also let go of Mayank Agarwal and made Shikhar Dhawan their captain. They also splurged a lot in the IPL 2023 auction, playing INR 18.50 crores to buy the services of England all-rounder Sam Curran.
Discussing the issues plaguing PBKS, former India and PBKS all-rounder Irfan Pathan said that their main issue is that they change their core too often. He said that PBKS have changed its engine almost every year in the IPL, something that has not allowed the team to settle in.
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"Their engine has always been the problem. For many years their engine has kept changing. They've changed their engine almost as many times as the number of years the IPL has been played,” Irfan Pathan pointed out on Star Sports.
Pathan, who played for PBKS in the initial years of the IPL, spoke about their home ground in Mohali and said that the venue has pitches that are helpful for the fast bowlers, something that he hopes the franchise exploits in the upcoming edition of the tournament.
He also spoke about the brilliant pacers PBKS possesses and called it one of the best fast-bowling contingents in IPL 2023.
"I've played cricket there for three years. I've seen that if you hit the seam or impart proper backspin, you do get help. The sides of the ground are big. If you've got an idea of what length to bowl, it can make a huge difference for the bowlers. Sam Curran, Kagiso Rabada, and Arshdeep Singh are quality bowlers," Pathan said.
"They have two left-armers and also a right-armer in Rabada, who hits that full length hard. That makes a big difference, and I believe that this bowling unit, among all IPL teams, if you check based on availability, their name will be right up there," he further added.
PBKS will open their IPL 2023 tournament on April 1 against Kolkata Knight Riders at their home in Mohali.
