NEW DELHI: Punjab Kings find themselves grappling with a string of defeats in the ongoing IPL 2024 season, exacerbating their struggles in the absence of star player Shikhar Dhawan due to injury.
Their latest setback came in a narrow three-wicket loss to the Gujarat Titans, leaving the Preity Zinta co-owned franchise languishing in ninth place in the standings.
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The defeat marked Punjab's fourth consecutive loss, with Gujarat Titans' Rahul Tewatia delivering a match-winning unbeaten blitz. With Dhawan sidelined, all-rounder Sam Curran has assumed the captaincy role, but his performances with both bat and ball have failed to impress.
India cricket legend Virender Sehwag minced no words in his criticism of Punjab Kings' approach, particularly questioning their decision-making regarding player roles and lineup adjustments.
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"If I was in the PBKS dugout, I would not even pick him in my team, neither as a batting all-rounder nor as a bowling all-rounder. I wouldn't pick him," Sehwag remarked on Cricbuzz, highlighting Curran's underwhelming contributions.
Sehwag further emphasized his point, stating, "A player is not of any use if he can bowl a bit and bat a bit. You either bat properly and win us the match, or you bowl and win us the game. This bits and pieces part I don't understand."
Statistically, Curran's performance this season has been lackluster, managing only 152 runs in eight innings at a strike rate of 116.03, with just one half-century to his name. Despite taking 11 wickets for Punjab Kings, his overall impact has been questioned amidst the team's struggles.
As the IPL 2024 season progresses, Punjab Kings find themselves at a crossroads, facing mounting pressure to arrest their slide and salvage their campaign without the services of key player Shikhar Dhawan.
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