New Delhi, Apr 23 (IANS): Former Australian cricketer Tom Moody has lauded Sam Curran for his outstanding captaincy skills as Punjab Kings' (PBKS) skipper, saying that the English all-rounder has exhibited excellent leadership skills despite being new to the captaincy role. 

The 24-year-old was handed the captain's responsibility in the absence of their regular skipper Shikar Dhawan in the last three games and has led the Kings to two wins out of the three games he captained.

"Sam Curran is showing some really good leadership skills, particularly for someone who has not experienced leadership before. He's captaining a team in the IPL - the biggest T20 tournament on the planet - and is doing it very very well," Moody told ESPNcricinfo.

Curran was terrific with the bat as he smashed 55 off 29 deliveries and stitched 92 run partnership off 50 balls with Harpreet Singh (41 off 28) to take his side to 214 in 20 overs.

However, the stand-in skipper was expensive with a ball, conceding 41 runs in three overs and going wicketless against Mumbai Indians on Saturday night. 

"Sam Curran felt that he was not quite on song tonight. That shows good leadership to look at the broader picture of what's available. Sam was going nearly 14 an over, so he had an expensive night with the ball, which is unusual for him, and recognised that maybe that was not his night, so he shared that responsibility, and he had the resources to do it," the former Australian all-rounder said.

Curran's fifty with contributions from Harpreet Singh Bhatia and Jitesh Sharma, along with Arshdeep Singh's four-wicket haul saw PBKS overcome Mumbai Indians by 13 runs in an IPL 2023 at the Wankhede Stadium on Saturday night.