The Indian Premier League (IPL) side, Punjab Kings have appointed Mayank Agarwal as their new skipper ahead of the 15th season. The top-order right-handed batsman was one of the players that were retained by the Punjab-based franchise ahead of the IPL 2022 mega auction.
Punjab Kings made this announcement through their official social media handles on Monday i.e. February 28. Agarwal was retained by the team for INR 12 crore along with Arshdeep Singh, who was retained by INR 4 crore.
On this appointment, Anil Kumble – the Head Coach of Punjab Kings, said, “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.”
The newly appointed PBKS skipper, Agarwal said, “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 in 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.”
In the mega auction, PBKS managed to perform well as they bought some of the popular players of the shortest format – Shikhar Dhawan, Kagiso Rabada, Jonny Bairstow, Rahul Chahar, Liam Livingstone, Shahrukh Khan and many more. The franchise from Punjab is one of the three teams that haven’t won the IPL trophy even once. With the appointment of the new captain and the inclusion of new talented players, PBKS will aim to break their IPL championship drought.