During the most recent Indian Premier League (IPL 2024) match against Rajasthan Royals, Franchise Punjab Kings (PBKS) made the unexpected decision to give Sam Curran the captain’s reins in place of Jitesh Sharma, which drew a torrent of criticism on social media. Following the earlier news that Jitesh Sharma would be the vice captain, fans were quick to voice their confusion and dissatisfaction.
The decision baffled many people, especially in light of Shikhar Dhawan’s injury-related absence. Sanjay Bangar, the head coach of PBKS, stated that a miscommunication about Jitesh Sharma’s position on the team was the cause of the issue.
Bangar emphasized that, in contrast to widespread assumptions, Jitesh Sharma was never formally named the vice captain. According to IPL rules, any player could represent the club at such functions; hence, Jitesh’s attendance at the captain’s shoot was only a formality.
Sam Curran, the team’s captain from the previous campaign, was supposed to attend the pre-season game, but Bangar clarified that he arrived from the UK late and was unable to do so. As a result, Jitesh Sharma was moved to his position, which gave rise to the misunderstanding about his position on the squad.
Also read: Shot of the Day: Ashutosh Sharma’s wild slog leaves Avesh Khan awestruck; PBKS vs RR IPL 2024
“Jitesh wasn’t the team’s official vice captain. The perception might have come from his attendance at the captain’s pre-tournament seminar or conference. However, the belief was that, given that Sam had led the team the previous season as well, we couldn’t send him to Chennai for the season’s opening because he was running late from the UK and wanted to get in a few workouts, according to Bangar, who was reported by the Hindustan Times.
As a result, Jitesh was sent, even though it was never intended for him to serve as vice captain. The order to attend came from an IPL player. He went on, “But we were very clear that if there was an opening at all, Sam would be the one to head the squad.
Punjab Kings lose at home to Rajasthan Royals in a thrilling match for the second time.
Even with the explanation, supporters and commentators were incensed at Curran’s selection as captain. Nevertheless, PBKS also experienced a loss in the field, losing to the Rajasthan Royals by three wickets.
This was PBKS’s fourth IPL 2024 loss, which significantly hurt their chances. With their current standing at seventh in the standings, PBKS will have a difficult time turning around their season. With five victories in their last six games, the Rajasthan Royals are still at the top of the standings and are still in complete control.
India
