The current situation seems dire for Punjab Kings as they struggled in their recent match against Royal Challengers Bangalore without the presence of their captain, Shikhar Dhawan. Despite having a target of 175 runs, they could only manage to score a meager 150 and were eventually bowled out. Sam Curran, who was leading the team in Dhawan’s absence, could not provide any inspiration with both the bat and ball.
He was dismissed for a mere 10 runs off 12 balls and his decision-making, particularly in relation to his run-out, received criticism from Sehwag. The former cricketer did not hold back in his assessment of Curran, who was bought for INR 18.50 crore in the auction.
Despite his young age of 24, Curran is regarded as one of the most desirable all-rounders in the sport. However, he has not yet accumulated as much experience as seasoned players such as Dhawan.
In the absence of Dhawan, Curran was handed the team’s leadership responsibilities but his inexperience was evident in the match against Bengaluru as he was run out. Sehwag did not hold back in his criticism, stating that even though Curran was bought for a hefty sum of Rs 18 crore in the auction, it cannot buy experience.
“He’s an international player. But you can’t buy experience with 18 crore. It only comes when you play, when your hair turn white as you play under the hot sun,” Sehwag said while speaking on Cricbuzz live show.
The loss to the Royal Challengers resulted in the Kings slipping down to the 7th position in the points table, having won only 3 out of their 6 matches. Despite the setback, there is still a chance for the team to recover and perform better in the remainder of the campaign. The Kings would undoubtedly be eager for the return of their skipper Dhawan, whose leadership and experience could potentially help the team achieve positive results in the upcoming matches.