IPL 2019: Wicket-keeping candidates and probable keepers for each team

Candidates for Kings XI Punjab: Nicholas Pooran, KL Rahul, and Prabhsimran Singh

After Kings XI Punjab's association with KL Rahul as the wicket-keeper in IPL 2018, Kings decided to acquire an extra wicket-keeping option - Nicholas Pooran and Prabhsimran Singh - for IPL 2019. Hence, for IPL 2019, they have Rahul and Pooran for the wicket-keeping duties.

Punjab's decision of persisting with Rahul as their first-choice wicket-keeper meant an added responsibility given to him. Although it didn't prove to be a bad move, an experienced wicket-keeping option would have been a plus for the Kings.

Out of the three wicket-keeping candidates, Prabhsimran Singh is least likely to get the job as he will not be making a place in the playing XI more often. Hence, Punjab wouldn't want to fix Singh as the wicket-keeper. Coming to KL, he can be the one to continue donning the gloves for Punjab as he did a fair job in IPL 2018 as well, and the wicket-keeping brought the best out of him.

Howbeit, Pooran will be the one to get behind the stumps for Punjab. Nicholas has been a decent wicket-keeper and much above that he has been a powerful batsman. Hence, his place in playing XI seems almost inevitable. Thus, the Kings would want to confer the wicket-keeping duties on Pooran while freeing Rahul from the responsibility.

Wicket-keeper for IPL 2019: Nicholas Pooran