Shikhar Dhawan to miss KKR game, likely to return against Chennai Super Kings: Sunil Joshi

NEW DELHI: Shikhar Dhawan , the skipper of Punjab Kings , has been sidelined due to a shoulder injury, forcing him to sit out of their upcoming IPL match against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) on Friday. The team is optimistic about his return for the clash against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) scheduled for May 1.

Since his last appearance against Sunrisers Hyderabad on April 9, the 38-year-old has been absent from three matches, with Sam Curran taking on the captaincy role in his absence.

According to Sunil Joshi , the spin bowling coach of PBKS, Dhawan is currently undergoing a recovery regimen. There is hope that the left-handed batsman will be fit to make a comeback in the team's next fixture in Chennai.

"He was in form and we really missed his batting services. We saw him batting yesterday, going through the nets and everything," Joshi said on the eve of their match against KKR in Kolkata.

"He is on the road to recovery. Hopefully, he should be fit for the next game (against CSK)," he said.

Punjab Kings have struggled to perform consistently as a batting unit, reflecting their current ninth position on the table with only four points from eight matches.

Jitesh 'haunted'

Jitesh Sharma 's performance in the ongoing IPL has been disappointing for Punjab Kings. Once considered a contender for India's primary wicketkeeper role, Sharma has seen a decline in his form, managing just 128 runs from eight innings at an average of 16.00 and a modest strike rate of 125.49.

His highest score this season has been 29, and in three matches, he has failed to reach double digits. This slump has undoubtedly affected his standing, as he has gradually faded from the radar of selectors and fans alike.

Joshi blamed it on being "haunted" by the pressure of performing to meet the expectations.

"Jitesh is a quality batter and we all know that the time has come for him to fire tomorrow. And yes, of course, there are multiple players in the whole IPL.

"They are all eager to be in the T20 World Cup squad. But at times, most of the players are in that phase that (the thought of) making it to the Indian team will always keep haunting. So, it's about focusing on basic, right things."

Asked what's his message to Sharma, he said: "Finally, you got to perform. You got to look at one ball at a time, you can't look beyond. You're playing in IPL, you got to focus on match by match, ball by ball, rest leave it to the selectors."

Joshi further said the pressure would be on KKR to perform and win playing at home as they would look to "play freely".

"We've come out of home. The pressure should be on the home team now so we can play freely and get runs," he said.

(With PTI inputs)