Eoin Morgan replaces Dinesh Karthik as Kolkata captain, franchise's fans express delight

The 13th edition of the Indian Premier League has been a mixed bag for the Kolkata side with four wins in seven matches. In a major development, the franchise revealed that wicketkeeper-batsman Dinesh Karthik has relinquished his captaincy and handed over the duties to England's World cup winning captain Eoin Morgan. With an aim to contribute to the team through his batting performances, Dinesh Karthik decided to step down as Kolkata captain to focus more on the other facet of his game. 

As reported on the Kolkata team's website, Dinesh Karthik informed the management regarding his decision. Venky Mysore, CEO of the Kolkata team, appreciated their former captain as he praised keeping the team ahead of personal gains. He also added that the management was surprised by his decision, but hailed it as a courageous call.

Eoin Morgan and Dinesh Karthik have had a great camaraderie in Dream11 IPL 2020, which will make the transition a lot smoother according to Venky Mysore. Fans were thrilled with the prospect of Eoin Morgan replacing Karthik as their new leader.

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Fans thrilled to see Eoin Morgan as the new Kolkata captain

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The franchise thanked Dinesh Karthik for his services as the team's leader for the last two-and-a-half years. The 39-year-old was roped in by the side in the 2018 auctions as he replaced Gautam Gambhir as the leader of the Kolkata side. He was under the scanner in the Dream11 IPL 2020 for some decisions taken by him.

Karthik has had an ordinary season with the bat so far with 108 runs in 7 matches. His half-century against Punjab bailed his side out of trouble and helped them score a victory, but apart from that innings, his performance with the bat has been lacklustre. 

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Mumbai vs Kolkata live game details

Eoin Morgan's first assignment as the captain of Kolkata is not very far as they gear up to take on Mumbai. The two sides will clash on Friday itself at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi. Kolkata are placed at the fourth position on the points table, whereas the defending champions Mumbai hold the second spot. The Mumbai vs Kolkata live-action will commence from 7:30 pm IST on the Star Sports Network. Fans will be intrigued to see how Eoin Morgan leads the Kolkata side. 

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Image source: Kolkata Instagram