IPL 2022: Punjab Kings Appoints Mayank Agarwal As New Captain
Published - 28 Feb 2022, 01:32 PM | Updated - 23 Aug 2024, 01:05 AM
IPL franchise Punjab Kings on Monday appointed opening batter Mayank Agarwal as their new captain for IPL 2022. The 31-year-old will take over the captaincy reins from Karanataka teammate KL Rahul, who joined a new team in the lucrative tournament.
Mayank has scored 1317 runs from 47 IPL matches for Punjab Kings at a strike rate of 144.24 and is the sixth most run-getter of the team overall.
IPL 2022: Mayank Agarwal becomes 13th captain of Punjab Kings
Punjab Kings had to fill the captaincy post after they released their swashbuckling opener, Rahul, last year in the retention window. Rahul was appointed Punjab’s captain in 2020 but was released by the franchise in the retention window after he was in close ties to join a new IPL team.
Rahul was one of the picks of the Sanjiv Goenka-owned Lucknow Super Giants and was also named the captain of the team. Mayank will be the 13th captain of the franchise since Yuvraj Singh led them in the inaugural season. Australia’s Geroge Bailey has led them in most IPL matches (35).
Mayank Agarwal is a team player with all the attributes required of a leader: Anil Kumble
After a lot of speculations where reports suggested that veteran Indian opener Shikhar Dhawan would be chosen for the leadership role of the Punjab outfit, head coach Anil Kumble said Mayank was part of the team’s leadership group over the last two years.
“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,” Kumble said in a statement.
“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,” he added.
Mayank was one of the two retained players by the franchise in the IPL 2022 retention window. He also led the team against Delhi Capitals in the first phase of IPL 2021 after Rahul was hospitalised as he was diagnosed with Acute Appendicitis.
Also Read: IPL 2022: First Choice Seven Indian Players Of Punjab Kings (PBKS) For The Tournament
