IPL 2024: Shikhar Dhawan sidelined with shoulder injury, expected to miss action for a week

Punjab Kings' (PBKS) campaign in the ongoing IPL 2024 (Indian Premier League) might be facing a major setback as their designated captain, Shikhar Dhawan, is likely to be sidelined due to a shoulder injury.

In the same vein, PBKS head coach Sanjay Bangar confirmed the news, stating that Dhawan could be out of action for at least a week or possibly more. Addressing the media after the Kings' recent defeat to Rajasthan Royals, Bangar expressed concerns over Dhawan's injury and said that he has a shoulder injury, so he is likely to be out for at least a couple of days.

"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 [for the team]. 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 days," Bangar was quoted as saying by ESPN Cricinfo.

With Dhawan's absence, Sam Curran took charge during the toss, leading to some confusion among fans. Bangar clarified that Curran was always the designated stand-in captain, contrary to any assumptions stemming from Jitesh Sharma's presence during the captains' conference earlier in the season.

"No, no, he [Jitesh] wasn't the designated vice-captain. The impression could have been because he attended the captains' seminar, or meeting, 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.

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"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," Bangar clarified when asked the question.

Punjab Kings' top order to face stiff challenges in absence of Shikhar Dhawan

Skipper Shikhar Dhawan's absence could pose a challenge for the Kings, especially considering their batting struggles in the tournament so far. Despite not having a stellar run with the bat, Dhawan remains their highest run-scorer. His opening partner, Jonny Bairstow, has also struggled for form, adding to the team's woes.

Also Read: Punjab Kings clarify Sam Curran's captaincy substitution over Jitesh Sharma

In Dhawan's absence, the Kings experimented with Atharva Taide at the top in their recent game. However, their batting lineup continues to falter, contributing to their position at the bottom half of the table.