Punjab Kings‘ woes continue to mount as they face a leadership and batting crisis with the news that skipper Shikhar Dhawan is sidelined with a shoulder injury. This comes after their narrow defeat to the Rajasthan Royals in a low-scoring encounter.
Dhawan’s Absence: A Week or More on the Sidelines
Coach Sanjay Bangar confirmed Dhawan’s injury at a press conference following the match. Initial estimates suggest he could be out for “at least a couple of days,” but Bangar later clarified that the recovery period could extend to “at least 7-10 days.” This timeframe could see Dhawan miss crucial matches against the Mumbai Indians and Gujarat Titans.
In Dhawan’s absence, Sam Curran assumed captaincy duties, leading to some initial confusion. Jitesh Sharma’s attendance at the captains’ conference prior to the season had sparked speculation about his potential as vice-captain. However, Bangar clarified that Curran was always the designated leader in Dhawan’s absence.
“The impression could have been because he [Jitesh] attended the captains’ seminar, or meeting, at the start of the IPL,” Bangar explained. “But the thought was always thatâĤ because Sam has led the team in the previous year as well.”
Dhawan’s Struggles at the Top
While Dhawan hasn’t been in top form with the bat this season, he remains the Kings’ leading run-scorer with 152 runs in five innings. However, his average of 30.40 and strike rate of 125.61 highlight his struggles. These batting woes at the top of the order have been a significant factor in the Kings’ lacklustre performance this season, with four losses in six matches and a concerning eighth-place position on the points table.
Dhawan’s injury further exposes the Kings’ vulnerabilities at the top of the batting order. His opening partner, Jonny Bairstow, has also been out of touch, managing only 96 runs in six innings. The struggles extend to young prospects like Prabhsimran Singh (119 runs in six innings) and Jitesh Sharma (106 runs in six innings), who haven’t been able to deliver consistent performances or create a significant impact.
Mullanpur’s Pitch Adds to Batting Woes
The Kings experimented with Atharva Taide as an opener in Dhawan’s absence, but he could only manage 15 runs off 12 deliveries. Bangar acknowledged the challenges posed by the pitch at Mullanpur, particularly during the powerplay overs.
“Low-scoring games, especially at Mullanpur, the way the wicket isâĤ that also has a factor,” said Bangar. “Because if you see, some of the scores have been pretty low. All the three games that we have played here, in the first six overs, with the new ball, the wicket tends to just jag a little bit, and uneven bounce as well. So maybe that is also a contributing factor because, not only us, the visiting teams and their top order are facing issues.”
The absence of their leader and key batsman is a significant setback for the Punjab Kings. With Sam Curran taking over captaincy duties, the onus will be on the remaining batsmen to step up and find solutions to their consistency issues. Overcoming these challenges and navigating the tricky Mullanpur pitch will be crucial if the Kings are to turn their season around.
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