3 reasons why PBKS appointing Jitesh Sharma as captain for final IPL 2024 game is the right move
Punjab Kings (PBKS) wicketkeeper Jitesh Sharma will lead the side in their final IPL game against the SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) on Sunday (May 19). The swashbuckling batter who broke into the Indian team on the back of his splendid outing last year went through a lackluster run all through the 17th edition of the competition.
Jitesh will take over the captaincy duties after English all-rounder Sam Curran returned home to join his national team ahead of a four-match T20I series against Pakistan. Curran led Punjab in the absence of regular skipper Shikhar Dhawan who was ruled out of the rest of the tournament after sustaining a shoulder injury during the first half of the IPL.
Jitesh posed for the captain's photograph ahead of the tournament. However, when Dhawan was forced out of the team due to an injury, it was the experienced Sam Curran, who had led Punjab before, was handed the role.
It will be a big opportunity for Jitesh Sharma to lead a franchise consisting of some massive names in the international circuit. Despite not having a great season with the bat, he will be hoping to finish the campaign on a high and also get some runs under his belt.
Having failed to qualify for the playoffs for the 10th time in succession, here is the reason why appointing Jitesh as the captain for the final game is the right move.
#1 Jitesh Sharma was named as the vice-captain ahead of the 2024 season
While Jitesh was appointed as the vice-captain of the franchise ahead of the 17th season of the IPL, the Punjab Kings made Sam Curran the captain when Shikhar Dhawan was ruled out owing to a shoulder injury. Jitesh might have prepared himself to become the next captain but the management relied on the experience of a well-established international player.
With Sam Curran having left for the England shores for the T20 series against Pakistan, it was only apt that Jitesh was handed over the captaincy. He has been with the Punjab Kings set up for a while now and is one of the permanent features in the playing XI. He might not have had a great IPL but that has been the case for most of the players.
#2 Extra responsibility might help Jitesh find back his Midas touch
Jitesh has just scored 155 runs in 13 matches at an underwhelming average of 14.09. Before the start of the tournament, Jitesh was one of the contenders for the wicketkeeper slot in the Indian T20 World Cup team. However his below par outings not only have pushed him out of the national reckoning, but he has also fallen way behind in the pecking order.
When your back is against the wall, extra responsibility always tends to bring the best out of you. Jitesh would be hoping to turn it around as a skipper and as a batter in the final game against the SunRisers Hyderabad. Jitesh and Punjab have nothing to lose which might just bring the best out of the wicketkeeper.
#3 Jitesh is one of the most experienced Indian local players in the Punjab camp
The Punjab Kings bought Jitesh in the 2022 auction and has been a reliable wicketkeeper-batter for them ever since. It was his fearless hitting from ball one which made him an integral member of the side. He scored 234 and 309 runs respectively in his first two seasons to make a name for himself.
He is a very safe keeper and seldom drops catches behind the stumps. A keeper is someone who always controls the game and advises the bowlers on which lengths are better on which surface. Appointing Jitesh as the captain who has a fair bit of experience playing in the Indian pitches might turn out to be a good move.