"I never expected Anil Kumble to bench him for Rishi Dhawan" - Ajay Jadeja on PBKS dropping Shahrukh Khan in IPL 2022

Former Indian player Ajay Jadeja stated that he was surprised to see Anil Kumble drop Shahrukh Khan from the Punjab Kings' (PBKS) playing XI. The Tamil Nadu youngster has not been at his best this season as the franchise look to make their first IPL playoff appearance in eight years.

Heading into the auction as one of the most sought-after players, Shahrukh Khan was roped in by the Kings for a sum of ₹9 crore. However, the explosive batter never got going in the finisher's role and was eventually dropped from the playing XI in favor of all-rounder Rishi Dhawan.

Dhawan has been a handy asset for Mayank Agarwal on the field. Coming on the back of an impressive domestic season, much like Khan, the 32-year-old has claimed four wickets in four matches at an economy of 7.92.

Expressing his surprise at head coach Kumble's decision to swap the youngster out for the veteran, Jadeja said on Cricbuzz:

"I was one of the people who had high expectations from PBKS this season. I thought I would see a new Punjab this season. But, I never expected Anil Kumble to bench Shahrukh Khan for Rishi Dhawan."

He added:

"It has become very hard to assess this team. When we, sitting outside, are confused with the constant changes, imagine what the players might be feeling."

Shahrukh Khan has endured a horrid campaign after scoring just 98 runs in seven matches at a strike rate of 100. He scored 153 runs in 11 matches for the franchise in the previous edition.

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"PBKS don't win important matches anyway" - Virender Sehwag

PBKS are among multiple franchises trying to secure a spot in the playoffs at the end of the league stage. However, they are placed precariously in the IPL points table at the moment with 10 points and three matches to go. Punjab will likely have to win all of their remaining three games to reach the top four.

Sharing his skepticism over PBKS' ability to win important matches, Sehwag said:

"This is an important game for PBKS. If they lose this, their net run rate will fall, making it pointless even if they reach 14 points. This will lead to dead rubber matches at the end of the tournament though, so it's crucial that they win. However, they don't win important matches anyway."

The 2014 IPL finalists will take on the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) later tonight (May 13) at the Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai.