Punjab Kings (PBKS) take on Gujarat Titans (GT) in Match no.4 of the IPL 2026. Here is our PBKS vs GT Game Plan before the two teams lock horns at Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium, New Chandigarh.
As we head into this clash, there are a couple of things that could decide the outcome. Cooper Connolly is set to bat at number three for Punjab Kings. How he fares will be crucial for their chances. Gujarat Titans’ Prasidh Krishna had a brilliant season last year, and his hard lengths could be a key factor in this encounter.
Punjab Kings reached the final last year, with Josh Inglis playing a vital role at number three. The franchise opted to release him due to his availability but now they have to fill that void with someone else. Head coach Ricky Ponting rates Connolly highly, and so the youngster is given that responsibility.
One of the reasons the PBKS batting unit was so successful last year was Inglis’ presence in the top order. It is a necessity for any IPL team to have an overseas batter in the top order who can take on the short-pitch bowling with ease.
Last year, the PBKS top order was collectively destructive. Priyansh Arya was their best batter against back-of-a-length and short pitch bowling, scoring at 217. Inglis had the second best strike rate, hitting 81 off 40 deliveries. Shreyas also delivered, striking at nearly 190 while losing his wicket thrice in 69 balls.
Prabhsimran Singh struggled the most against this bowling type, averaging under 25. Despite his success last year, Shreyas didn’t look as comfortable against hard lengths as someone like Inglis did. Arya is heading into his second season, which is usually tougher for batters as the opponents gather more information on them. Hence, the presence of an overseas pace hitter is essential for this side.
The big question, however, is can Connolly fill that role in this PBKS vs GT clash? The 22-year old will be playing in the IPL for the first time. While the pitches are mostly flat, he doesn’t have much experience playing in these conditions.
In his overall T20 career, he has a control percentage of 66% and 58% against back-of-a-length and short deliveries, respectively. His strike rate against the same is 115 and 153. Connolly’s T20 game has not yet reached a point where he can be banked upon.
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Prasidh Krishna was the Purple Cap winner last season with 25 wickets from 15 games while conceding runs at 8.27. He did the role of an enforcer to a great effect, predominantly operating in the middle and death overs.
Krishna’s natural length is hit-the-deck, and he backed his strengths in the previous edition. He kept hitting those hard lengths while varying speeds, and found great success.
As you can see, 12 out of his 25 wickets in the tournament via back-of-a-length and short deliveries. He conceded only 7.72 runs per over off these lengths. Batters found it hard to deal with his hard lengths.
Krishna is expected to employ the same tactics in this season. Given the vulnerability of the opponents, he will be a crucial figure in this PBKS vs GT matchup.
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