3 reasons why Shikhar Dhawan is important for India in ODIs
At 36, most cricketers would have their greatest skillset on the wane, not Shikhar Dhawan. The Delhi batter is a seasoned pro and has become better than he was, as demonstrated in the series so far against the West Indies.
Dhawan's comeback for an opener's spot in the upcoming T20 World Cup and the 2023 ODI World Cup is a happy headache for India.
The southpaw has been one of the finest openers for the side over the last few years. With two fifties in the three-match series against the West Indies, he's now making a case for himself to be part of the upcoming tournaments.
Ahead of the Zimbabwe tour in August, we look at three reasons why Dhawan is important for India in the ODI format.
#1 Brings in valuable experience
Shikhar Dhawan has an impressive ODI record, scoring 6493 runs from 155 matches at an average of 45.41. With 17 hundreds and 37 half-centuries to show, he's one of the more experienced batters for India as an opener.
The Delhi batter has been instrumental in not just playing for the side but also leading it, making him a key voice in the dressing room. With the think-tank fielding their best XI, it's only right that they have one of the more veteran players in the unit to add more quality to the side.
#2 Shikhar Dhawan and Rohit Sharma are India's best opening duo
Shikhar Dhawan and Rohit Sharma are the second successful opening pair for India with 5125 runs from 114 innings after Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly (6609 runs from 136 innings).
The right-left combination works with both of them coming in with their own style of play. While Dhawan is generally the aggressor, it helps Sharma settle down before his timing and audacious shotmaking takeover. The former has a more Virender Sehwag-esque style of playing, thus keeping the scoreboard ticking.
#3 He is a big match player
Dhawan is pretty much the cometh-the-hour, cometh-the-man type of player. He's known for bringing out the best innings in major games. The classic examples of this are his fluent 72 against arch-rivals Pakistan in the 2015 World Cup, followed by a skillful 137 at the MCG against South Africa.
These are the innings that put him on the map as the side's most versatile and bankable player, making it the third reason to be one of India's most important players in ODIs.