"Hoping he will be available for selection soon": Haddin provides update on Dhawan ahead of GT clash

Mullanpur (Punjab) [India], April 21 (ANI): Ahead of the fixture against last year's finalists, Gujarat Titans, in the Indian Premier League (IPL), Punjab Kings (PBKS) assistant coach Brad Haddin provided an update on Shikhar Dhawan's injury, saying that he would be available for selection soon.

PBKS will lock horns with GT in the 36th encounter of the IPL 2024 at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium in Mullanpur, Chandigarh. The Kings assistant coach Brad Haddin appreciated the efforts of their bowlers, especially the seamers of the side.

"Gujarat Titans are a strong team. They have played in the finals in the last two seasons. (At home) It's about ensuring we find a way to perform as individuals. Our bowlers have been outstanding. Our fast bowlers have the most wickets in IPL 2024. If we could find the runs, our spinners and pacers could find some much-needed support," Haddin said in the pre-match press conference.

Speaking about the upcoming game, the former right-hand batter believes that the Punjab Kings need to convert their close results into wins to boost their confidence.

"We have got to find a way to get a result in this game. The last three games were very close, we had moments when we were out and then got ourselves back in it, and the result could have gone both ways," the former Australia wicketkeeper asserted.

Despite the losses, Ashutosh Sharma and Shashank Singh's performances have been a bright spark in the Punjab Kings' batting order. Further, Haddin lauded three batters.

"The way they have been performing, we want to give them more time on the pitch. At the same time, we don't want to burden them. They are still new to this craft. They played some extraordinary knocks under pressure," the 46-year-old stated.

Coach Haddin also shared an update on the injury to skipper Shikhar Dhawan.

"It's difficult to replace someone like Shikhar. He's one of the most successful openers in the IPL. He has done it for many years and was starting to get his rhythm back before the unfortunate injury to his shoulder," the Australian said.

"We would like him back as soon as we can. He is an experienced head at the top of the order, so we're hoping that he is available for selection soon. He has started to progress well. We have seen some good signs over the last couple of days. We will decide on Sunday morning," Haddin concluded.

PBKS squad for IPL 2024: Sam Curran (C), Jitesh Sharma (Wk), Atharva Taide, Jonny Bairstow, Prabhsimran Singh, Shashank Singh, Liam Livingstone, Ashutosh Sharma, Harpreet Brar, Harshal Patel, Kagiso Rabada, Arshdeep Singh, Rahul Chahar, Vidhwath Kaverappa, Harpreet Singh Bhatia, Nathan Ellis, Tanay Thyagarajan, Shivam Singh, Shikhar Dhawan, Rilee Rossouw, Chris Woakes, Rishi Dhawan, Sikandar Raza, Prince Choudhary, Vishwanath Singh. (ANI)