Punjab Kings (PBKS) is all set to start their IPL 2026 journey with a game against Gujarat Titans on today at Mullanpur. Shreyas Iyer has again build a fresh squad hoping that this season the wait for the title might end, although there are a couple of clear weaknesses that still exist despite some smart signings at the auction. 3 Major Concerns for PBKS Ahead of IPL 2026 GT Clash No Off-Spinner Option Weakens Bowling Variety A gaping hole for PBKS is the lack of an off-spinner following the departure of Glenn Maxwell. In the T20 format having an off-spinner can often bring diversity to the attack and help the team put the brakes on at different points of the game. Turning wickets have proven that off-spinners are effective in T20s and with a number of sides in the IPL having strong left-handed batting line-ups PBKS will be vulnerable through the middle-overs without this option. It might not even take a specialist with a few handy off-spin options that can be called on if needed but without any clear specialist on paper it could prove to be an even larger concern as the competition progresses. Also Read | 'Whatever the BCCI is offering you, we’ll double it': Inside CSK’s Unique Player Motivation Strategy No Lockie Ferguson Early On Hurts PBKS Pace Attack Lockie Ferguson will miss the early matches of the IPL 2026 campaign as the New Zealand fast bowler is on paternity leave and it's a big blow for PBKS's pace attack. Although Ben Dwarshuis and Xavier Bartlett are in the squad they don't offer the same firepower as the Kiwi international. Dwarshuis hasn't always been effective outside of Australia and the latter is relatively new at this level and could be seen as a significant weakness at the start of the season. Without Ferguson the pace attack may find it difficult to control games early in the tournament. Lack of Backup Wicketkeeper Creates Worry Another area of weakness for PBKS is the wicketkeeper position. Vishnu Vinod is the only reserve wicketkeeper in the squad, placing added responsibility on Prabhsimran Singh. If Prabhsimran were to pick up an injury or experience poor form, PBKS may find themselves in deep trouble. While he is a handy bat he has been prone to fitness issues and in a long tournament such as this having a good backup is key. Relying on just one genuine backup option will come with its own set of risks. Also Read | Mohammed Shami Retirement? Star Pacer Breaks Silence Amid India Selection Mystery PBKS squad for IPL 2026 Arshdeep Singh, Azmatullah Omarzai, Harnoor Pannu, Harpreet Brar, Lockie Ferguson, Marco Jansen, Marcus Stoinis, Mitch Owen, Musheer Khan, Nehal Wadhera, Prabhsimran Singh, Priyansh Arya, Pyla Avinash, Shashank Singh, Shreyas Iyer, Suryansh Shedge, Vishnu Vinod, Vyshak Vijaykumar, Xavier Bartlett, Yash Thakur, Yuzvendra Chahal, Cooper Connolly, Pravin Dubey, Vishal Nishad, Ben Dwarshuis.