PBKS Owner Ness Wadia Says Team “Doesn’t Even Need the Auction” Ahead of IPL 2026

PBKS owner Ness Wadia revealed that the team is so balanced and confident with its current squad that they hardly need to make any major moves in the upcoming mini auction.

Punjab Kings enter the upcoming IPL mini auction after revamping their squad during last year’s mega auction in Jeddah. The franchise retained only two players then and used a purse of Rs 110.5 crore to rebuild around Shreyas Iyer, Arshdeep Singh and Yuzvendra Chahal, a move that helped them reach the IPL 2025 final.

Their progress reflects in this year’s retention list, with only five players released, including Glenn Maxwell, Josh Inglis and three non-regular starters. With just four spots left to fill, the team believes their current squad is strong enough.

PBKS owner Ness Wadia says the group has good balance and leadership, and the franchise may not need to make many changes at the mini auction.

“We’ve tried to build a culture of togetherness. And all the players, even those who we’ve released, we do so with a heavy heart. We have a good balance and great leaders in Shreyas and Ricky. We don’t even really need to go into the auction. But we will see how to solidify what we already have, which is a very solid team,” Wadia told news agency PTI.

“The mega auction for us in Jeddah last year was very crucial. Now that we have Ricky and Shreyas working together with all their very valuable support staff, we’re very comfortable with where we are,” he added.

READ ALSO | PBKS Reveal Retention List and Released Players List Ahead of IPL 2026 Auction

Punjab Kings Confident About Staying Competitive

Wadia then revealed that the franchise remains focused on building a long-term contender after reaching the IPL 2025 final. He explained that the team’s goal has always been to win the title and that last season’s progress must now be repeated with consistency.

“We’re really in a position to keep challenging, not only like we did last year, but for many years to come. The job is not done yet as the goal was always to win the IPL. So our objective was to really get us into a position to be able to challenge and be the best of the best. Season one, we’ve done it. We have to repeat that again and make sure that we do that consistently,” he said.

“They brought a different new game and backed their instincts, and it was fun to watch. I loved watching us. And I know a lot of people loved watching us as well. Some of my friends and family who never watch cricket, they enjoyed watching us play. They captured the minds and hearts of everyone. Having said that, nothing succeeds like winning. Everyone loves a winner and that is what we would be working towards this season,” Ness Wadia concluded.