Another shocking update about a foreign talent in the 2026 Indian Premier League (IPL 2026). This time, it is the Punjab Kings (PBKS) who have been in news flash for one of their key players.
According to the latest report from ESPN Cricinfo, Australian all-rounder Cooper Connolly is likely to bat at number three for Punjab Kings in IPL 2026 as he is likely to avoid the bowling part in the initial part of the season with PBKS.
Cooper Connolly’s role in IPL 2026 revealed
Ahead of IPL 2026, PBKS, the team that finished as the second best team of the tournament, is looking for an impactful No. 3 batsman to add to its playing combination after the departure of Josh Inglis. He may find a replacement in the form of Australian all-rounder Cooper Connolly.
The report said, “It is understood that another Australian is set to fill Inglis’s role: Cooper Connolly. The West Australian, despite poor form with the bat, is likely to bat at No. 3.”
It is reported that Cooper Connolly has a back problem due to which Cricket Australia (CA) has asked him not to bowl for the time being. According to the report, the spin-bowling all-rounder will play only as a batsman for Punjab Kings till the end of April.
The media report said, “However, Cricket Australia’s medical team has asked Connolly not to bowl left-arm spin in the early part of the IPL while he recovers from a back problem. He will play as a specialist batsman until the end of April.”
Ahead of his first Indian Premier League season, Connolly has been favored by weak batting statistics in T20s. Despite scoring a few half-centuries, his batting average was 19.00 after batting in 12 innings for the Perth Scorchers in the Big Bash League 2025–26 (BBL 2025–26) season. However in the last BBL season, his batting figures were impressive with an average of 50.14 after appearing in 10 innings for the Scorchers.
For the Australian national cricket team, his batting numbers are not impressive. In the T20 International format, the 22-year-old has a batting average of only 4.66 in 7 innings. His highest score so far for Australia in this format is 13.
Cooper Connolly last played for Western Australia in a Sheffield Shield match against Queensland. In this multi-format match, he batted at the No. 6 position in the first innings and played as the No. 3 batsman in the second innings. As the No. 3 batsman, he could only score 10 runs off 13 balls before losing a wicket.
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