IPL 2024: The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 season hasn’t gone as per plans for the Punjab Kings. They have lost four times in the first six games and sit 8th on the points table. To add more injury to the woes, their captain Shikhar Dhawan has been rule out for up to 10 days. The 38-year-old also sat out PBKS’ last match against Rajasthan Royals which they lost by six wickets in the last over. Sam Curran led the team against the Royals in Dhawan’s absence.
IPL 2024: Shikhar Dhawan Ruled Out For 10 Days
Providing an update on the matter, Punjab Kings Head Of Cricket Development, Sanjay Bangar said in the post-match press conference after the match against Royals that Dhawan was having a shoulder injury and his comeback will depend on how his body reacts to the treatment.
“He’s having a shoulder injury, so he is likely to be out for at least a couple of days, I would say. Having an experienced opener, somebody like Shikhar, who has experience of playing on such wickets, becomes extremely crucial.
“We have to wait and see how he responds to the treatment. At the moment, it seems that he could be out of action for at least seven-ten days,” said Bangar.
Who Is Punjab Kings’ Vice-Captain?
When Sam Curran walked out for the toss against the Royals, it was a surprising sight as Jitesh Sharma was supposed to be the vice-captain of the team. This theory emerged from the fact that Jitesh took part in captains’ meet at the start of the season as Dhawan wasn’t available due to high fever.
But Bangar quashed all the theories surrounding PBKS’ vice-captain., sayiong that Sam Curran was alwasy the deputy to Dhawan.
No, no, he (Jitesh) wasn’t the designated vice-captain. The impression could have been because he attended the captains’ seminar at the start of the IPL.”
“But the thought was always that … because Sam has led the team in the previous year as well; he was late to arrive from UK and he wanted to have a few (training) sessions, that’s the reason we couldn’t send him to Chennai. Hence Jitesh was sent, because the directive was that a player has to attend.”
“It wasn’t the case that Jitesh was the stand-in captain. We were very clear in our mind that if at all there had to be an opening, Sam Curran will be taking over and do the job as the captain,” said Bangar.
