Shikhar Dhawan sidelined for 7-10 days with shoulder injury

Punjab Kings captain Shikhar Dhawan, who missed last night's encounter against the Rajasthan Royals due to an injury, is set to be sidelined for 7-10 days more. The team's experienced opener is currently sidelined due to a shoulder injury. This comes as a blow to Punjab Kings, who are already struggling in the ongoing IPL season.

According to Punjab Kings' Head of Cricket Development, Sanjay Bangar, Dhawan's recovery is expected to take "at least 7-10 days." This means Dhawan is likely to miss the team's upcoming matches against Mumbai Indians (April 18th) and Gujarat Titans (April 21st). There's a possibility he might be back for their away clash against Kolkata Knight Riders on April 26th, but his return will depend on his response to treatment.

We'll have to wait and see: Sanjay Bangar

"Unfortunately we missed out on having Shikhar because he has a shoulder injury. So, he's likely to be out for a couple of days I would say. We'll have to wait and see how he responds to the treatment, but at the moment it seems that he could be out of action for at least seven to 10 days," Bangar said.

The nature of the shoulder injury Dhawan sustained is not yet publicly known. It occurred during a previous match against the Gujarat Titans while the experienced southpaw was fielding. 

Dhawan's absence is a significant setback for Punjab Kings. The team has relied heavily on his experience and batting prowess at the top of the order. In his absence, the team will hope that the others step up and take responsibility. Punjab Kings have already lost four matches in IPL 2024, and Dhawan's injury further jeopardizes their chances of making the playoffs. They'll need to find a way to cope with his absence and string together some victories in the coming matches. Dhawan's recovery will be closely monitored, and fans will be hoping to see him back in action soon.