Punjab Kings Likely to Look At India Veterans for Captaincy Role After Shikhar Dhawan's Retirement

Punjab Kings (PBKS) have perennial underperformers in the Indian Premier League (IPL) and endured another tough previous cycle.
 By Darpan Jain Aug 28, 2024, 09:30 IST
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Punjab Kings (PBKS) have perennial underperformers in the Indian Premier League (IPL) and endured another tough previous cycle. Last season, they came ninth in the points table, only above Mumbai Indians (MI), with five wins and ten points in 14 matches.

One major issue for the team was the lack of a quality leader who could take the team in the right direction. They had Mayank Agarwal as the captain in IPL 2022 but moved past him the next season, appointing Shikhar Dhawan as their new guy at the helm.

Unfortunately, Dhawan struggled with fitness in both editions and couldnโ€™t lead the team for the full season. Sam Curran led the team in Dhawanโ€™s success, and while he was decent with his tactics, PBKS didnโ€™t really get the desired results.

Hence, the prime target of the team will be to find an ideal guy for a dual role, who can run the team without compromising performance. Their two main bets can be Rohit Sharma and Ravichandran Ashwin.

Also Read: Why Jay Shah's appointment as ICC Chair is a strategic move

Why will Rohit Sharma and Ravichandran Ashwin come to the auction?

Rohit Sharma, part of the joint-most successful side in the competition, might not be part of Mumbai Indians anymore. Hardik Pandya, Jasprit Bumrah, and Suryakumar Yadav are sure retentions, whereas Ishan Kishan, Tilak Varma, and Nehal Wadhera will press a case.

Rohit wonโ€™t settle to be the third or fourth retention of the side, given it will reduce his brand value, even if MI give him a whopping amount under the table. Further, if he comes into the auction, teams will break the bank for him, and after the change in leadership, things havenโ€™t been smooth in the dressing room, so Rohit can join any other team by coming into the auction.

Meanwhile, Ravichandran Ashwin might not be among the best options for Rajasthan Royals (RR) to retain. Jos Buttler, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sanju Samson, and Riyan Parag look four certain retentions for them, while Yuzvendra Chahal and Trent Boult will also be among the options.

That leaves no place for Ashwin, even though he has done well in patches for the franchise. RR might release Ashwin not because he is not good but because they have several other better options as a long-term investment to keep.

Why will Punjab Kings target Rohit Sharma and Ravichandran Ashwin?

Punjab Kings desperately need a quality leader, and the mentioned two have those qualities. Rohitโ€™s credentials as IPL captain are well documented; he knows how to run a franchise and sustain consistency.

Further, his batting returns were also better in IPL and T20 World Cup 2024, and his recent form also suggests Rohit is as fluent as ever. With Indian captaincy experience, Rohit is a valuable asset, for he ticks plenty of boxes and solves many problems.

Meanwhile, Ravichandran Ashwin is another leadership option, given he has a smart cricketing brain and can remain calm under pressure. He has shown his capabilities as an all-rounder in T20 leagues, showing Ashwin is more than a terrific T20 bowler.

Then, Ashwin has also led PBKS previously, so he knows the setup better than many other players in the auction. His previous IPL experience is another tick on Ashwinโ€™s CV, making him a complete package.

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