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| Shikhar Dhawan - PBKS File Photo |
In an unexpected turn of events, Sam Curran took charge as the captain for Punjab Kings (PBKS) against Rajasthan Royals (RR) in IPL 2024's Match No. 27, replacing the injured Shikhar Dhawan. Despite Jitesh Sharma being the designated vice-captain, PBKS opted for Curran's leadership, raising eyebrows among fans and analysts.
The decision to have Curran lead the team came after Dhawan suffered a shoulder niggle, forcing him to sit out of the crucial match. Curran, addressing the media, confirmed that he was stepping in as captain due to Dhawan's injury but didn't delve into specifics regarding the extent of Dhawan's ailment.
During the pre-match commentary, Harsha Bhogle mentioned Dhawan's shoulder niggle, shedding light on the skipper's absence from the playing XI.
What adds intrigue to the situation is PBKS's choice to overlook Jitesh Sharma, who was initially designated as the vice-captain at the beginning of the season. Jitesh's presence in the team, including attending the captain's photoshoot, hinted at his role as the second-in-command. However, his limited contributions this season, with just 77 runs in five matches at a strike rate of 135, might have influenced PBKS's decision to opt for Curran as captain instead.
In the match against RR, Atharva Taide replaced Dhawan, while Liam Livingstone made his return to the XI. Notably, PBKS opted not to include Ashutosh Sharma in the batting lineup despite naming him as one of the Impact Players.
Meanwhile, RR, currently leading the IPL 2024 points table, faced their own injury woes with key players like Jos Buttler and Ravichandran Ashwin unavailable due to niggles. This further added to the anticipation and unpredictability of the high-stakes encounter between PBKS and RR.
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