Inglis's numbers profile him as a Top Order (#3) batter, but Punjab Kings deploys him as the #2 opener — a role that demands handling the new ball against fresh pace attacks in the powerplay. A powerplay SR of 166.2 across 77 balls shows he can score above the 152 league average, handling both pace and swing. He handles both pace (137.8) and spin (150.5) competently in the powerplay, with no major vulnerability to exploit. A 27.3% boundary rate in the powerplay shows he finds the rope consistently. A dot ball rate of 48.1% is a concern — opposition bowlers are containing him too often early on.

His ball distribution tells the story: 45.0% in the powerplay, 44.4% in the middle overs, and 10.5% at the death. That heavy powerplay exposure is exactly what you want from an opener — he's getting the bulk of his work done when the field is up and the ball is new.

Josh Inglis bats at opener for Punjab Kings and serves as wicketkeeper. Across 133 T20 matches, he's established himself as a reliable presence.

In IPL 2025, Inglis scored 278 runs off 171 balls at a strike rate of 162.6, with a phase-adjusted SRae of 11.9 — comfortably above average for the phases he batted in. He added 20.3 runs above what a replacement-level batter would have contributed in the same situations.

Matchup Profile: Pace vs Spin

Inglis shows no strong preference between pace and spin — he handles both competently.

Powerplay: 140.8 SR across 385 balls | vs pace 137.8 | vs spin 150.5

Middle Overs: 150.7 SR across 756 balls | vs pace 153.7 | vs spin 147.6

Death Overs: 170.4 SR across 135 balls | vs pace 174.0 | vs spin 160.0

Phase-by-Phase Breakdown

Inglis faces 45% of his deliveries in the powerplay, which tells you everything about his role in the batting order.

Powerplay (1-6) (45% of balls): 166.2 SR — 27.3% boundaries, 48.1% dots

Middle (7-15) (44% of balls): 150.7 SR — 18.6% boundaries, 27.1% dots

Death (16-20) (11% of balls): 170.4 SR — 27.4% boundaries, 36.3% dots

Style and Tendencies

Inglis scored 278 runs in 11 innings in IPL 2025 at 162.6 SR, averaging 25.3 per outing. He hit 1 fifty with a high score of 73.

He's a boundary-heavy scorer — 71.9% of his runs come from fours and sixes — but he's capable of rotating strike when needed.

One concern: 71% of his dismissals are caught (5/7). That kind of pattern is something opposition analysts will look to exploit.

What This Means for IPL 2026

Our model projects Inglis as opener in Punjab Kings' lineup. As an overseas player, he occupies one of Punjab Kings' four precious foreign slots — so the production needs to justify that selection. The dot ball rate in the powerplay is a concern — pressure builds when scoring stalls, and that creates risk for the whole batting unit. With an xImpact rating of 70.0, he's projected as a genuine difference-maker.