Punjab Kings’ designated captain, Shikhar Dhawan, might be sidelined for a week or more due to a shoulder injury, as confirmed by the team’s coach, Sanjay Bangar. If the recovery takes a week, Dhawan could potentially miss two crucial IPL 2024 matches against Mumbai Indians on April 18 and Gujarat Titans on April 21, both to be held at home in Mullanpur.
Speaking at a press conference after Kings’ last-over defeat against Rajasthan Royals in Mullanpur, Bangar initially indicated that Dhawan could be out for “at least a couple of days.” However, he later mentioned that the recovery period could extend to “at least seven-ten days.”
In Dhawan’s absence, Sam Curran took charge during the toss for Kings, leading to some confusion among fans. Bangar clarified that Curran was always designated as the stand-in captain, despite Jitesh Sharma’s attendance at the captains’ conference in Chennai before the season’s commencement.
Although Dhawan hasn’t showcased exceptional form with the bat in IPL 2024, he remains Kings’ highest run-scorer at this stage. With 152 runs from five innings, Dhawan’s absence poses a significant challenge for the team, particularly in addressing their batting struggles at the top of the innings.
Kings experimented with Atharva Taide as Dhawan’s replacement in their recent game against Rajasthan Royals. However, Taide managed only 15 runs off 12 balls as Kings posted 147 for 8 in their allotted overs.
As the team navigates through Dhawan’s injury setback, the focus shifts to finding effective strategies to maintain momentum in the ongoing IPL season.
