Left-arm spinner Harpreet Brar took 11 wickets in 8 IPL matches last season (2025) and former India cricketer Sanjay Bangar said that Kings XI Punjab (PBKS) should include Harpreet Brar in every match this season, noting that the left-arm spinner was effective against both right- and left-handed batsmen.
2025 runners-up Kings XI Punjab will take on Gujarat Titans (GT) in New Chandigarh on March 31. Brar has played 49 games for the team since 2019, taking 35 wickets at an average of 31.00, including one four-wicket haul. Last season was his most efficient season, taking 10 wickets in eight games, averaging 19.00, economy rate of 8.63, and best figures of 3/22.
Speaking on JioHotstar, Bangal said that Yuzvendra Chahal will take charge of the midfield and in the absence of Glenn Maxwell, Brar can provide opportunities in the middle of the power play. Maxwell was released after last season. Bangal added that he had full confidence in Brar during his time with Punjab. The spinner has 102 wickets in 105 T20 games at an average of 23.79, including 4 four-wickets.
“I don’t think there is pressure on Yuzi because he bowls in the middle order. They have released Glenn Maxwell and he has given them big chances in the powerplay. So who is going to be the powerplay spinner? That’s where I think Harpreet Bhullar is a good player. Don’t play him just for the matchup because when I was involved in it, I was very confident about his ability. Whenever he got the ball for Punjab, he got the job done. So play Harpreet Bhullar.” Brar) may be an impact player but play him in every game,” said the former India batting coach.
Brar enters the season with the conclusion of Punjab’s domestic competition. He took 23 wickets in four Ranji Trophy matches at an average of 21.26, including two five-wicket hauls, with a best figure of 6/38. In the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, he took 15 wickets in 9 games at an average of 15.73 and an economy rate of 8.13, taking 4 wickets once. He also played in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, taking one wicket in four games.
Bangal also talked about Punjab’s opening pair Priyansh Arya and Prabhsimran Singh, both of whom performed well last year. Priyansh scored 475 runs in 17 innings with a strike rate of over 179, including one and two fifties, while Prabhsimran scored 549 runs in 17 games, with a strike rate of over 160, including four fifties.
Bangal said Priyansh’s start to the season will be important after his recent domestic performances. In the Vijay Hazare Trophy, he scored 344 runs in eight innings at an average of 49.14, a strike rate of 163.80 and four fifties. In the Ranji Trophy, he scored 131 points in three games with an average of 43.67 and a best score of 82 points. In the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, he scored 197 runs in seven innings at an average of 28.14 and a strike rate of over 155, including five fifties.
“Prabhu Simran Singh has been around for many years. He also scored a hundred in the IPL a few seasons ago and has been playing for Punjab. Punjab have stuck with him. He is also one of their uncapped players. So I don’t think Prabhu Simran will have a second season with the Blues (a second strong season in a row),” he said.
“But Priyansh Arya, what a discovery he was for Kings XI Punjab. It was his batting that ensured that Punjab never thought of using their top overseas batsmen and that’s why I feel Priyansh How Arya handles these expectations may be a bit of a mystery because so far in domestic cricket, I think he has had a quiet season. We will have to see how he starts the season. If he starts the season well, then I don’t think it will be a problem, but if he scores low runs in a row, there may be some issues with this opening combination,” Bangal said.