It was a fruitful day for Punjab Kings at the 2022 TATA Indian Premier League auctions, as they made a few powerful purchases to bolster their squad. Going into the auctions with the biggest purse, the franchise flexed their muscle power to good effect, roping in some stalwarts of the IPL in Shikhar Dhawan, Kagiso Rabada, Shahrukh Khan and Jonny Bairstow. 

The very first player at the auction- Shikhar Dhawan, went the way of Punjab Kings as they fought away competition from both Rajasthan Royals and Delhi Capitals. The southpaw was eventually roped in for 8.25 crores. Next on the radar for Punjab Kings was pacer Kagiso Rabada, who once again attracted interest from multiple franchises. 

Gujarat Titans and Delhi Capitals were engaged in a two way tussle for the speedster, before Punjab Kings entered the fray. Once the baton was raised by the franchise, there was no stopping them as they stuck till the very end to nab the seasoned seamer for 9.25 crores. 

Waninudu Hasaranga was the next player that piqued the interest of Punjab Kings, but they dropped out of the race at the end, with the player going to Royal Challengers Bangalore. The disappointment of missing out of Hasaranga though was quickly forgotten when Jonny Bairstow’s bail was presented. 

The English keeper batsman attracted interest from Delhi Capitals, Sunrisers Hyderabad and Punjab Kings, with the latter ultimately prevailing. With most teams needing a recognised keeper for the 2022 IPL Season, Punjab’s management managed a shrewd buy for Bairstow for a price of 6.75 crores. 

Next up, the franchise looked to strengthen their domestic prospects, winning arduous bidding wars for both Rahul Chahar and Shahrukh Khan. Chahar attracted interest from more than five teams, but Punjab Kings remained firm in their interest. Shahrukh Khan proved to be a two way battle between Chennai Super Kings and PBKS, but the reigning champions were priced out of that tussle. 

In the final stretch of the day, the franchise made a few thrifty picks as they roped in a few former players like Harpreet Brar, Prabhsimran Singh and Ishan Porel. They also got Jitesh Sharma, who impressed all in the 2021 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. 

With another day to go, Punjab Kings still have 14 slots to fill in their squad, with a remaining purse of 28.65 crores. Who should we target tomorrow?