Shikhar Dhawan is a name synonymous with India’s white-ball cricket dominance in the past decade. However, he recently finds himself omitted from the India ODI setup, with the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup looming large. A proven performer in 50-over ICC events, Dhawan was India’s top-scorer in the 2013 Champions Trophy, 2015 World Cup, and 2017 Champions Trophy. With his recent performances, India fans had high hopes for their opening batsman to lead India’s charge in England and Wales. Nonetheless, Dhawan hopes to make a comeback into the ODI setup as India looks to continue their impressive form in the tournament. Will Dhawan be able to add to his already impressive tally of runs in ICC events and help India bring home yet another trophy? The fans wait with bated breath.
Shikhar Dhawan, the southpaw opener, was in electric form earlier this year when he scored a century against Australia in the tournament opener. Unfortunately, he had to exit the competition after just two matches due to a nasty fractured thumb. Fast forward to now and the stylish batsman finds himself out of the ODI setup heading into the showpiece event later this year. Speaking candidly to India news channel Aaj Tak, Dhawan reflected on his omission from the squad. Although disappointed, he admitted that it’s not uncommon in cricket and that the decision was made after much thought by the captain, coach, and selectors. Dhawan has been the backbone of the Indian batting for quite some time now and his absence will be felt. Nevertheless, the show must go on!
Indian opener Shikhar Dhawan has been in fine form in recent times, having scored an impressive 688 runs in 22 matches at an average of 34.40 in 2022. However, his strike rate has dipped from 94.51 during his debut in 2013 to 74.21 in 2022, which has come under the scanner. In addition to this, the emergence of young talents like Shubman Gill and Ishan Kishan has added to the competition for the openers’ spot, making it an interesting prospect. Gill, who has been in imperious form lately with the most runs for India (624 runs in nine matches, including an ODI double-hundred) so far in 2023, and Kishan, who smashed the fastest ODI double-century against Bangladesh in December last year, look set to compete with the veteran Dhawan for a spot in the opening position alongside skipper Rohit Sharma.
Dhawan’s recent absence from the India ODI squads can be attributed to the rise of a fellow talented batsman, Shubman Gill. Even though the 37-year-old had a consistent performance in ODIs in 2022, the team management placed their faith in the young upcoming star. Dhawan acknowledges the situation and credits the backing he received from Rohit Sharma and Rahul Dravid during his captaincy. The goal was always to focus on the vision for the upcoming World Cup, which was delivered through his consistent performance. With the team management’s decision to give Gill a chance, Dhawan understands the scenario and expresses familiarity with such situations.
The competition for a spot in the Indian cricket team is always intense, and when Ishan Kishan hit a double century against Bangladesh, Shikhar Dhawan, an experienced player himself, felt a moment of doubt. However, young batsman, Shubman Gill, has also been making waves, performing exceptionally well in both Test matches and T20s. Dhawan himself has acknowledged Gill’s talent, even admitting that if he were a selector, he would choose Gill over himself. But Dhawan isn’t ready to give up on his hopes for the 2023 World Cup just yet. As the captain of the Punjab Kings in the Indian Premier League, a strong showing with the bat could put him back in the running for the ODI squad. It’s a fierce competition, but Dhawan is determined to stay in the game.
