"They will look to get him back at a lower price" - Virat Kohli's childhood coach feels PBKS will re-sign Mayank Agarwal at IPL 2023 auction

Virat Kohli's childhood coach, Rajkumar Sharma, expects the Punjab Kings (PBKS) to go after former captain Mayank Agarwal at the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) mini-auction.

Speaking to India News Sports, Sharma claimed that PBKS had released the star opener only because of the hefty price tag of ₹12 crore. He also suggested that the franchise's strategy would be to re-sign him at a lower price. Agarwal has set his base price at ₹1 crore this time around.

"Mayank Agarwal has done very well for PBSK, and I'm sure that they will try to re-sign him at the auction," Sharma said. "He is a fantastic player and has an impressive record. He may have been released due to the big price tag. But they will look to get him back at a lower price."

"It was very surprising to see the PBKS release Mayank Agarwal ahead of the mini-auction," he added. "Some other big names have also been released this year. I am sure that they will get a hefty price. The franchises will be very selective given that they have limited funds."

Notably, Agarwal led the Punjab-based team in this year's cash-rich league. However, he struggled to perform consistently with the bat, finishing with 196 runs in 13 games at a dismal average of 16.33.

The side failed to make it to the all-important playoffs as they finished sixth in the points table. They will hope to stage a turnaround next season under new skipper Shikhar Dhawan.

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"It could prove to be a masterstroke" - Rajkumar Sharma on PBKS appointing Shikhar Dhawan as their new captain

Rajkumar Sharma further went on to say that PBKS team management has made the right decision by handing over the captaincy reins to senior batter Shikhar Dhawan.

He mentioned that Dhawan is a seasoned campaigner who has a fantastic record as a captain. Sharma, who has worked closely with the opener during his stint as the head coach of the Delhi team in domestic cricket, stated that the player will create a healthy environment for the players.

"Shikhar Dhawan is an experienced captain," Sharma mentioned. "He has also led the Indian team in white-ball cricket on several occasions of late. He builds a healthy environment in the dressing room, which is the quality of a great leader."

"I worked with him when I was the head coach of the Delhi team, and he was the captain," he added. "He doesn't put any unnecessary pressure on his teammates. PBKS have done the right thing by appointing him captain, and it could prove to be a masterstroke."

Dhawan was the top performer with the bat for PBKS in the latest edition of the competition, mustering 460 runs from 14 games. He has also captained the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in the past and has enjoyed decent success as India's stand-in captain in ODIs lately, winning seven and losing three out of 12 matches.