It has not been easy for the Kings XI Punjab and their captain David Miller in this year’s IPL. According to reports by the Mumbai Mirror, the hard-hitting left-handed batsman might be replaced by Murali Vijay as the skipper of the team.
Miller was announced as the captain of the Kings XI side before the tournament but the team’s recent show has got the management thinking about a change. They are currently at the bottom of the points table with only one victory in their six matches.
The South African, a specialist in limited-overs cricket, is likely to be replaced by Murali Vijay. A formal announcement has not yet been made by the team management or the franchise but it could happen soon.
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The 26-year-old’s performances haven't been all that great this season and probably won't save him from getting the axe. He managed only 76 runs in six games of the season so far when most of the captains are leading their team by example.
For a foreign player, it has always been difficult to maintain the place in the XI because of the four foreign player rule of the league. And with a disappointing show so far, it will be tough for the South African to retain his place in the playing XI.
On the other hand, Vijay has been one of the better performers for the team with 143 runs in 6 matches including a half-century. He was initially thought of as the captain but the franchise preferred Miller. The biggest reason for the possible selection of Vijay as the captain is his position is assured in the XI.
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A change of captain midway through the tournament is not new to the IPL. From Adam Gilchrist (2009, KXIP) to Kumar Sangakkara (2012, SRH) to Daniel Vettori (2012, RCB) to Ricky Ponting (2013, MI) to Angelo Mathews (2013, PWI), all have had to go through such mortification.
According to reports, Vijay’s first match as the captain of the Punjab side could be an away game against the league leaders, the Gujarat Lions on 1 May in Rajkot. It remains a matter to be seen how this proposed replacement of captain changes the fortunes of the team.
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