Shikhar Dhawan to replace Mayank Agarwal as Punjab Kings captain
New Delhi, Nov 2: Veteran India opener Shikhar Dhawan will replace Mayank Agarwal as Punjab Kings captain for the 2023 Indian Premier League.
The decision was taken at the franchise's board meeting on Wednesday.
The move was on expected lines after the 31-year-old from Karnataka failed to take the team to the IPL play-offs earlier this year.
Agarwal was made captain for the 2022 edition after K L Rahul decided to move to Lucknow Super Giants. Besides the team's inconsistent run, Agarwal's form also dipped as he managed 196 runs at an average of 16.33.
The franchise had thought about making Dhawan the skipper last year as well but decided to go ahead with Agarwal.
"The board has decided to make Dhawan captain. He has all the experience, both as player and captain in the IPL and also did well for the team in his first season last year," an IPL source told PTI.
Punjab had paid Rs 8.25 crore for Dhawan's services at the mega auction earlier this year. The 36-year-old southpaw repaid the faith by scoring 460 runs in 14 games at an average of 38.33 and a strike rate of 122.66.
The franchise is keen on retaining Agarwal despite handing over the leadership duties to Dhawan. A decision on that will be made soon as the player retention deadline is set at November 15.
Though Dhawan has been a consistent performer in the IPL, he only plays in the 50-over format for India. Of late, he has been captaining the second string India ODI team and will lead the side in New Zealand later this month. In the IPL, he has leadership experience with Sunrisers Hyderabad.
Punjab will also have a new head coach in Trevor Bayliss, who guided England to the 2019 ODI World Cup title and KKR to two IPL titles in 2012 and 2014. Bayliss will be assisted by fellow Australian Brad Haddin.
The team owners' expectations are high from the new coach and captain as the franchise searches for its maiden title. Punjab's sold final appearance came way back in 2014. They finished sixth in the previous four seasons.
Gabbar will be at the 𝗦𝗵𝗶𝗸𝗵𝗮𝗿 for Punjab Kings! 🗻#SherSquad, welcome your 🆕 Skipper, Jatt ji! ♥️🤩#ShikharDhawan #CaptainGabbar #SaddaPunjab #PunjabKings @SDhawan25 pic.twitter.com/BjEZZVVGrw
— Punjab Kings (@PunjabKingsIPL) November 2, 2022
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Motivational speaker Sonu Sharma slams govt, Supreme Court over Aravalli Hills order
Says If Aravalli falls, our future falls
New Delhi: Motivational speaker and life coach Sonu Sharma has strongly criticised the Narendra Modi-led central government and the Supreme Court over recent developments related to the Aravalli Hills, warning that the decisions could have long-term consequences for North India’s environment and air quality.
In a video posted on social media, Sharma questioned the logic behind treating parts of the Aravalli range measuring less than 100 metres in height as non-mountains, a position that has emerged from recent legal interpretations. Without naming specific judgments, Sharma said such reasoning effectively strips large portions of the ancient mountain range of legal protection and opens the door for large-scale mining.
The Aravalli range, considered one of the oldest mountain systems in the world, plays a crucial role in checking desertification, regulating climate and acting as a natural barrier against dust storms from the Thar desert. Environmentalists have long warned that continued degradation of the Aravallis could worsen air pollution in cities such as Delhi and accelerate ecological damage across Rajasthan, Haryana and the National Capital Region.
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In the video, Sharma argued that redefining mountains based on arbitrary height criteria amounts to legitimising environmental destruction. He compared it to denying basic human identity based on physical attributes, calling the approach illogical and dangerous. He claimed that in Rajasthan alone, nearly 12,000 peaks are part of the Aravalli system, and that only around 1,000 of them exceed 100 metres, leaving the vast majority vulnerable to legal mining activity.
Sharma also took aim at a televised statement by senior news anchor Rajat Sharma, who had said that Delhi’s pollution gets trapped because the city is shaped like a bowl surrounded by the Aravalli Hills. Sharma rejected the argument that the Aravallis are responsible for pollution, instead describing them as the “lungs of North India” whose destruction is aggravating the crisis.
Without directly naming the court, Sharma said institutions were issuing orders without understanding environmental realities. His remarks have been widely interpreted as a criticism of the Supreme Court’s recent stance on the Aravalli Hills, which has drawn concern from environmental groups who fear it may weaken safeguards against mining.
The video has gained significant traction online, given Sharma’s large following of over five million followers on Instagram and more than 13 million subscribers on YouTube. Many users echoed his concerns, saying unchecked mining and construction in the Aravallis would worsen water scarcity, air pollution and desertification.
Sharma ended his message with a call to protect the Aravalli range, warning that continued neglect would have irreversible consequences. “If the Aravalli falls, our future will also fall,” he said, urging citizens to speak up against policies and orders that, in his view, prioritise development over environmental survival.
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