IPL 2017: Know your team - Strengths, Weaknesses and Key Performance Indicators

Kings XI Punjab

Glenn Maxwell will captain the Kings XI Punjab in this year’s IPL

Strength: Overseas batting options

Punjab has six overseas batting options: Shaun Marsh, Martin Guptill, Hashim Amla, Eoin Morgan, David Miller and Glenn Maxwell. As captain Maxwell is a certain starter, it might leave Marsh, Amla, and Guptill, who is out injured for the start of the season, fighting over one spot and Morgan and Miller fighting over another. The other overseas spot is likely to be contested for by all-rounders Darren Sammy and Marcus Stoinis.

Weakness: Indian batting and spin bowling

Following the news that Murali Vijay will miss the entire season, Punjab has only one Indian batsman, Wriddhiman Saha, who is a certain pick in the team. Punjab’s other Indian batting options are Manan Vohra, Gurkeerat Singh, Armaan Jaffer, Rinku Singh and Nikhil Naik. At least two of them are likely to play. Punjab’s spin options are not much better. Axar Patel is their number one choice but their back-up options are Pardeep Sahu and Swapnil Singh.

Key Performance Indicator: Overseas players

Punjab is the only team in the IPL to not have a player who is in, or at the very least on the immediate fringes of, either of India’s limited overs teams. They are heavily reliant on their overseas players and the success of their season will depend largely on the overseas players they select and how well they fare.