IPL 2026 Auction: ‘Honestly, he wasn’t there in our mind’ – Shreyas Iyer explains PKBS’ Cooper Connolly m

Cooper Connolly in Perth, Australia (Image: Paul Kane/Getty Images) Punjab Kings completed their 25-player squad for IPL 2026 by acquiring four players at the mini-auction, with Australian pacer Ben Dwarshuis being their most expensive purchase at Rs 4.40 crore. The team secured two uncapped and two capped players, utilizing Rs 8 crore from their available purse of Rs 11.5 crore.The Kings began by signing Australian batting all-rounder Cooper Connolly for Rs 3 crore, following a bidding battle with Kolkata Knight Riders. The 22-year-old brings experience from four Big Bash League seasons, where he scored 636 runs in 26 matches at an average of 39.75.

IPL Auction: Abhinav Mukund on what could be Mumbai Indians’ approach | EXCLUSIVE

“Honestly, he wasn’t there in our mind at the start, but as we brainstormed and narrowed down our options, we realised he fit the position perfectly,” said skipper Shreyas Iyer, who has faced Connolly in Australia.“He has a great temperament and the ability to finish games. Those characteristics matter a lot in IPL. However, we didn’t think we would get him for 3, we actually predicted his price would be much higher,” Iyer added.Connolly’s best BBL performance came in 2024/25, scoring 351 runs across 10 matches at an average of 50.14. He made his T20I debut for Australia against Scotland in Edinburgh on September 7, 2024, and has since played six matches, scoring 13 runs and taking one wicket.Ben Dwarshuis, the team’s most expensive acquisition at Rs 4.40 crore, brings valuable skills as a left-arm pacer and lower-order power hitter.The Kings also strengthened their domestic lineup by re-signing spinner Pravin Dubey at his base price of Rs 1 lakh. Dubey will provide backup support to the existing spin duo of Yuzvendra Chahal and Harpreet Brar.Young talent Vishal Nishad joined the squad at his base price of Rs 30 lakh, further enhancing the team’s domestic core.