IPL 2023 Retention LIVE: Punjab Kings retention – After losing captaincy ahead of the new season, Mayank Agarwal is in danger of being let go by the Punjab Kings as the franchise heads into a new direction. The 2014 finalists have already announced Shikhar Dhawan as their new captain with the veteran appointed after consultation from incoming head coach Trevor Bayliss. A decision on Agarwal will be taken before the November 15 deadline, with PBKS also awaiting an update on star batter Jonny Bairstow’s condition. Follow IPL 2023 Auction LIVE updates on Insidesport.IN
IPL 2023: After removing from captaincy, Punjab Kings to take a call on Mayank Agarwal after assessing Bairstow injury ahead of November 15 deadline, Follow LIVE Updates
Mayank Agarwal is facing an uncertain future at Punjab Kings as the franchise undergoes yet another overhaul ahead of the IPL 2023 season. Agarwal was one of the two players retained by the franchise ahead of the mega auction and was named captain subsequently. PBKS and Mayank himself endured a forgettable season making Punjab re-think their 14 Cr investment on the Karnataka batter.
In 12 innings last year, Mayank managed just 196 runs at a dismal average of 16.33. he eventually dropped down the order to accommodate Jonny Bairstow at the top of the order. In contrast, the English superstar scored 253 runs in 11 games at an average of 23 and a strike rate of 144.57. Mayank tallied runs a moderate 122.50 throughout the season.
IPL 2023: Why Punjab Kings could release Mayank Agarwal?
- Mayank Agarwal was one of the two players retained before the mega auction, costing a whopping Rs 14 crore
- He was captain last season, but the team and his own form dovetailed in a forgettable campaign.
- The new coaching staff have already appointed Dhawan as captain.
- Jonny Bairstow is another opening option the franchise have and are keen to try him out with Dhawan.
- Mayank has struggled for runs in recent times and was dropped from the Indian test team as well.
“At this point, we have not taken any decision on retention or the release of the players. There are two more weeks for that,” said Ness Wadia, Punjab Kings co-owner to Cricbuzz.
Gabbar will be at the 𝗦𝗵𝗶𝗸𝗵𝗮𝗿 for Punjab Kings! 🗻#SherSquad, welcome your 🆕 Skipper, Jatt ji! ♥️🤩#ShikharDhawan #CaptainGabbar #SaddaPunjab #PunjabKings @SDhawan25 pic.twitter.com/BjEZZVVGrw
— Punjab Kings (@PunjabKingsIPL) November 2, 2022
IPL 2023: After removing from captaincy, Punjab Kings to take a call on Mayank Agarwal after assessing Bairstow injury ahead of November 15 deadline, Follow LIVE Updates
Agarwal had a poor Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, failing to make a fifty in either of his eight innings as Karnataka were knocked out of the competition early. He had two scores above 30, both against minnows Arunachal Pradesh and Meghalaya. Punjab Kings are likely to assess his performance in the SMAT20 and the Vijay Hazare Trophy. Mayank’s Karnataka play 2 games before the November 15 deadline.
A final decision on Agarwal will also depend on Jonny Bairstow’s recovery, with the England opener having missed out on the T20 World Cup due to a freak golfing accident. It is believed that Bairstow could miss the IPL and PBKS want to be sure before making a decision. The franchise wants Dhawan and Jonny Bairstow to open regularly, but the latter’s unavailability could mean that Agarwal is retained or bought back for a lesser price.
IPL 2023: After removing from captaincy, Punjab Kings to take a call on Mayank Agarwal after assessing Bairstow injury ahead of November 15 deadline, Follow LIVE Updates
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