Team India opener Mayank Agarwal has been appointed the new captain of Punjab Kings (PBKS) for the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022. Agarwal replaces his Karnataka teammate KL Rahul at the helm after the latter moved to Lucknow Super Giants to become the skipper there.
Agarwal pipped the likes of Shikhar Dhawan to become the captain of PBKS. He was one of the two players to be retained by PBKS for Rs 12 crore apart from Arshdeep Singh.
“Mayank has been an integral part of the side since 2018 and of the leadership group for the last two years. The new squad we selected at the recently concluded auction has exciting young talent and outstanding experienced players. We want to create a strong foundation for the future with Mayank at the helm. He is hardworking, enthusiastic, a team player with all the attributes required of a leader. I look forward to working with him as captain and believe that he will lead this team to a successful campaign,” PBKS head coach Anil Kumble said about Mayank Agarwal’s appointment.
In IPL 2021, Agarwal scored 441 runs in 12 matches with 4 half-centuries including a top-score of 99 not out. Overall, Agarwal has scored 2131 runs in 100 IPL games till date with a strike-rate of 135.47 with 1 century and 11 fifties.
“I have been at Punjab Kings since 2018 and I take a lot of pride in representing this fantastic unit. I am delighted to be given the opportunity to lead the team. I take over this responsibility with utmost sincerity, but at the same time, I believe my job would be made easier with the talent we have at the Punjab Kings squad this season. We have some vastly experienced players in our ranks, along with many talented youngsters who are keen to grab the opportunity and run with it. We have always taken to the field hoping to win the title and as a team we will once again work towards this goal of lifting our maiden IPL trophy. I thank the team management for entrusting me with this new role of leading the side. I look forward to the new season and the new challenges it brings with it,” Agarwal said.
