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Simon Doull believes that Sam Curran had to deal with a lot of pressure when he was appointed as the stand-in captain of Punjab Kings (PBKS) after Shikhar Dhawan had to sit out due to injury in the ongoing IPL 2023.
The former cricketer suggested that Curran's form dipped following his stint as the skipper. He pointed out that while the all-rounder had an impressive start to the competition, he has failed to perform consistently.
Speaking to Cricbuzz, Doull remarked:
"When Sam Curran took over the captaincy, his form dropped as well. He had a good start. He is the most expensive player of the tournament. He had a good start with the ball, he got a score over 30. But as soon as he took over the captaincy, it was just a bit too much pressure for a young man."
Notably, Curran made headlines after he was signed by PBKS for a whopping ₹18.50 crore, which made him the most expensive player in the league's story.
The left-arm seamer has picked up nine wickets from 13 matches in IPL 2023 and has an ordinary economy rate of 10.10 to his name.
"Hasn't quite found the form that he showed in the early part of the season" - Simon Doull on PBKS skipper Shikhar Dhawan
Simon Doull also spoke about how PBKS captain Shikhar Dhawan has looked out of touch since returning to the side from his injury. He noted that the opening batter hasn't looked in great form lately.
Speaking about Dhawan's batting exploits in recent games, he added:
"Shikhar's form since the injury has been a concern for them. He hasn't quite found the form that he showed in the early part of the season."
With 356 runs from 10 matches, Dhawan is currently the leading run-getter for Punjab this season. He has hit three half-centuries, including a brilliant 99*-run knock.
The cricketer-turned-commentator also highlighted that Punjab have a tendency to start the season on a promising note, but their campaign tends to fizzle out in the second half, elaborating:
"They looked like they were in a really good place in the early part of the season. They are a good side, sort of relaxed and comfortable. But it's kind of sadly the story of Punjab, isn't it?
"Whether their name is the Kings or Kings XI or whatever their name is or whatever they change it to, it's kinda the story of their seasons. They look like a good side for half the season and then sort of fall off."
PBKS will take on Rajasthan Royals (RR) at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium in Dharamsala on Friday, May 19. The contest is a must-win one for both teams as they look to remain in the race for the playoffs.
