Sanjay Bangar Urges PBKS to Play Harpreet Brar in Every IPL 2026 Match
Former Indian all-rounder Sanjay Bangar has made a strong appeal to the Punjab Kings (PBKS) management, urging them to play spinner Harpreet Brar in every match of the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 season. Bangar, speaking as a JioStar expert on JioHotstar's 'Game Plan - Know Your Team', emphasized Brar's abilities as a "quality player" who can bowl effectively against both left and right-handed batters.
Brar's Role in PBKS Strategy
Bangar highlighted that with the release of Australian all-rounder Glenn Maxwell, who provided crucial overs in the powerplay, PBKS needs a reliable powerplay spinner. He pointed to Brar as the ideal candidate for this role. "I do not think there's pressure on Yuzi (Yuzvendra Chahal) as such because he bowls in the middle overs. They have released Glenn Maxwell, who gave them important overs in the powerplay. So who is going to be the powerplay spinner? That's where I think Harpreet Brar is a quality player," Bangar stated.
He further explained that Brar should not be played just for match-ups, recalling his own experience as part of the PBKS coaching setup. "When I was part of that setup, I had tremendous confidence in his abilities. Whenever he was given the ball for Punjab, he did the job. I have seen it when he was playing against RCB as well. From an RCB point of view, I always rated him very, very highly. Right-hander or left-hander does not really matter for him," Bangar added.
Harpreet Brar's Performance Record
Harpreet Brar, a slow left-arm orthodox spinner, has been a consistent performer for PBKS since 2019. In 49 matches for the franchise, he has taken 35 wickets at an average of 31.00, including a four-wicket haul. The 2025 season was his best so far, where he claimed 10 wickets in eight matches at an average of 19.00 and an economy rate of 8.63, with best figures of 3/22.
Brar is coming off a solid domestic season for Punjab. In the Ranji Trophy, he took 23 wickets in four matches at an average of 21.26, including two five-wicket hauls and best figures of 6/38. In the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, India's premier state-level T20 competition, he secured 15 wickets in nine matches at an average of 15.73 and an economy rate of 8.13, with a four-wicket haul. Overall, in T20 cricket, Brar has 102 wickets in 105 matches at an average of 23.79, including four four-wicket hauls.
Focus on Punjab Kings' Opening Pair
Bangar also discussed the importance of PBKS's opening pair, Priyansh Arya and Prabhsimran Singh, both of whom had breakout seasons in IPL 2025. Priyansh scored 475 runs in 17 innings at a strike rate of over 179, including a century and two fifties, while Prabhsimran made 549 runs in 17 matches at a strike rate of over 160, with four fifties.
However, Bangar expressed concern about Priyansh Arya's form heading into the new season. "Priyansh Arya, what a find he was for Punjab Kings. It was his batting which made sure that Punjab never looked to use their overseas top-order batter, and that is the reason I feel there could be a little bit of mystery around how Priyansh Arya copes with these expectations," he said.
He noted that Priyansh had a relatively quiet domestic season, particularly in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, where he scored just 197 runs in seven innings at an average of 28.14, with only one fifty. In contrast, Prabhsimran Singh has been more consistent, with Bangar stating, "Prabhsimran Singh has been around for many years now. He has got a hundred in the IPL as well, a couple of seasons ago, and has been playing regularly for Punjab. Punjab has persisted with him. He was one of their retentions as an uncapped player as well. So I do not think the second-season blues are there for Prabhsimran."
PBKS Squad and Upcoming Season
Punjab Kings, the runners-up in IPL 2025, will begin their 2026 campaign against the Gujarat Titans on March 31 at New Chandigarh. The full squad for IPL 2026 includes key players like Arshdeep Singh, Yuzvendra Chahal, Shreyas Iyer, and overseas signings such as Marcus Stoinis and Marco Jansen.
Bangar concluded by emphasizing the need for PBKS to leverage Brar's skills consistently. "So play Harpreet Brar, maybe as an impact player, but play him in every match," he urged, underscoring the spinner's potential to be a game-changer for the team in the upcoming season.
