Punjab Kings (PBKS) batting coach Sanjay Bangar on Saturday said that captain and opener Shikhar Dhawan is recovering from a shoulder injury and will be out of action for at least seven to ten days.

“We’ll have to wait and see how he responds to the treatment. At the moment, it seems that he could be out of action for at least 7-10 days,” he said in the post-match press conference after his team’s three-wicket loss to Rajasthan Royals (RR) here.

Asked if the misfiring top-order batting is a cause for concern, he said: “In all the three games that we’ve played here (Mullanpur), in the first six overs, with the new ball, the wicket tends to jag a little bit, and there’s uneven bounce as well. So maybe that is another contributing factor.

READ | IPL 2024: Australia’s Marsh returns home following injury

“We obviously discuss the scoring options on such tracks, and that is where the boys are putting in a lot of effort. Currently, it’s not coming off, but I’m pretty sure that they’re just one knock away.”

Bangar had a special mention for Jitesh Sharma, who “with 15 stitches on his eyebrows, fought through the injury (sustained during practice on Friday) that he had.”

He also commended his team for showing “character, fighting spirit, and gumption” in the closely-fought last two games at home.