Faf du Plessis highlighted Punjab Kings’ bowling depth as the key to their IPL 2026 success.
Punjab Kings continued their dominant run in the Indian Premier League 2026 with a convincing 54-run win over Lucknow Super Giants. Following the match, former South Africa captain Faf du Plessis heaped praise on PBKS’ well-rounded bowling attack, calling it one of the most complete units in the tournament.
Du Plessis emphasised that Punjab’s success has been built on their ability to deploy multiple wicket-taking options across different phases of the game, allowing them to stay ahead of opposition batters.
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Variety and Firepower Key to Success
Explaining the strength of the unit, du Plessis said, “When we are talking about putting bowling attacks together, you want variety. As a captain, you’ve got all the different guns at your disposal that you can just pull the trigger at different stages, and that’s what gives them very, very great variety in their bowling attack,”
He pointed out that PBKS are not reliant on defensive bowling but instead possess a group of aggressive bowlers capable of making breakthroughs at any stage.
“You have to look at what they have in their team. It’s not a team that is lacking offensive skill sets. Their skill sets can go defensive. But you look at the names in that bowling attack, it’s all frontline attacking bowlers – Marco Jansen, (Xavier) Bartlett, Arshdeep Singh. It is all genuine wicket-takers with the new ball there, with the skill set of swinging the ball; tall bowlers getting bounce; Arshdeep is a good yorker bowler with the new ball. So it’s not by chance that they are one of the better bowling units,” he said.
Depth and Flexibility Add Extra Edge
Another key aspect highlighted by du Plessis was the team’s ability to shift gears without losing their attacking mindset, making life difficult for batters.
“They can switch to defensive, but also, as a batter, if you are fronting up against them, you feel like they can get you out at any stage as well,” he added.
He also underlined the importance of squad depth, noting how additional players contribute to the team’s bowling strength.
“Guys like (Vijaykumar) Vyshak can then come in and do their thing. Yuzvendra Chahal is an attacking spinner. Yes, he can be defensive, but his method is he gets wickets.”
With a strong mix of pace and spin, Punjab Kings’ bowling attack continues to play a pivotal role in their unbeaten campaign, making them one of the most formidable sides in IPL 2026.
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