Shikhar Dhawan: New role for Gabbar ! Punjab Kings appoint star batsman for THIS key role in IPL 2023

Shikhar Dhawan: As of IPL 2023, Shikhar Dhawan is slated to take over as the captain of the Punjab Kings. Mayank Agarwal will step down from his position. Trevor Bayliss, the recently appointed head coach of the Kings, supported Dhawan’s promotion, which was authorised on Wednesday during a franchise board meeting.

Agarwal, who was named captain right before IPL 2022, will be replaced by Dhawan, 36. Before the huge auction, where Dhawan was the first player they purchased, Agarwal and Arshdeep Singh were the only players that Kings had decided to hold onto.

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Dhawan, one of the most reliable batters since the 2016 IPL, was picked by Kings earlier this year for INR 8.25 crore (about US$1.1 million). For Delhi Capitals, who had acquired him via trade from Sunrisers Hyderabad, he had a standout 2020 season, scoring 618 runs at a strike rate of over 145. Dhawan scored 460 runs in 14 games in the last edition with the Kings, averaging 38.33 and having a 122.66 strike rate.

Shikhar Dhawan vs Mayank Agarwal: Run Comparision

KL Rahul, the captain up until last season, and Agarwal established a strong opening duo once Agarwal joined the Punjab team in 2018. His promotion from the ranks, however, was accompanied by a decline in performance. Agarwal averaged 16.33 runs per game while scoring just 196 runs in 13 games in last edition. Whereas, Shikhar Dhawan scored 460 runs in 14 matches.

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Dhawan has participated in the IPL since its first season in 2008, making him one of its most seasoned players. He has also been captaining India’s reserve sides in ODIs; his upcoming task is a three-match series in New Zealand. Dhawan has captained 11 times in the IPL, with four victories and seven defeats (ten for Sunrisers in 2014 and one for Kings in 2017).

Kings’ decision on whether to keep or release Agarwal is still uncertain. Prior to the upcoming IPL, franchises have till November 15 to submit a list of the players they intend to keep. In accordance with the IPL retention regulations, Kings agreed to pay Agarwal INR 12 crore in compensation, but this came at a cost to their overall budget of INR 18 crore, of which 14 crore went to Agarwal and 4 crore to Arshdeep, who at the time had no salary cap.

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