3 statements of Shikhar Dhawan that show his maturity
Shikhar Dhawan has been an integral part of the Indian team in ODIs and T20s over the last decade. He has been a consistent performer for India, especially in the ODI format, and has scored 6,793 runs at an average of 44.11 in 164 ODI innings.
Dhawan last played an ODI for India in December 2022 against Bangladesh and since then, has been left out of the team.
The team management has chosen to go with Shubman Gill as an opener in ODIs since the young batsman has enjoyed an exceptional 2023 across formats. In ODIs alone, Gill has scored 624 runs at an average of 78 this year.
The Punjab batsman has three ODI centuries (including a double century) in the format in 2023 itself and has been the perfect replacement for Dhawan.
Shikhar Dhawan recently made a statement that if he was the selector, he would have picked Gill over himself in ODIs considering the form the latter is in. The statement showed a lot of maturity on the part of Dhawan and could be a confidence booster for Gill.
This is not the first time that Dhawan has shown great sagacity in his comments. There have been other statements showing his maturity over the years. Here is a look at three such statements:
#1 After being snubbed from the Indian ODI team - February 2023
Shikhar Dhawan had an indifferent series against Bangladesh in December 2022 and since then, has been left out of the Indian team for ODIs. The emergence of youngsters like Ishan Kishan and Shubman Gill led to Dhawan's ouster from the Indian team.
However, Dhawan took the said snub positively and speaking to the PTI news agency, said:
"They (ups and downs) are part of life. With time, with experience, you learn how to handle them with ease. I find lot of strength in them. I did my best. If somebody is doing better than my best, that's fine."
He further added:
"I am very happy and content wherever I am. I make sure my process goes on strong. Of course, there is always a chance of me coming back to the side. If it comes, it is good. If it doesn't, that is also good. I have achieved a lot and I am happy with that. Whatever has to come will come. I don't get desperate about it."
Dhawan is optimistic about making it to the Indian squad for the 2023 World Cup in India. However, a lot of things need to go in his favor for that to happen.
#2 Captaincy being given to KL Rahul - August 2022
After Virat Kohli stepped down as Indian ODI skipper, Rohit Sharma took charge of the team in this format also. In Rohit's absence, Dhawan was often named captain of the Indian ODI team and tasted success leading the side.
India was scheduled to play three ODIs against Zimbabwe in Zimbabwe in August 2022 and Dhawan was named the skipper of the Indian ODI team. KL Rahul subsequently recovered from an injury and was named captain of the team and Dhawan was named his deputy.
This led to a lot of consternation in the media. However, in the pre-match press conference, Dhawan himself stated:
"It is a very good news that KL is back and will be leading the side as well. He is one of the main players of this Indian team. It will be a good outing for him before the Asia Cup gets underway. I am sure he will gain a lot from this tour."
He further added:
"I quite enjoy sharing my experience with the youngsters in the team. I first came here in 2014 (actually 2013), when Duncan Fletcher was the Indian coach. If they (youngsters) reach out to me for any suggestions, I am (always) there to answer them"
The magnanimity shown by Dhawan on having the captaincy taken away from him is worthy of admiration.
#3 On playing just one format - August 2022
Shikhar Dhawan last played a Test match for India in September 2018. He last represented India in a T20I in July 2021 and since then has been a part of only one format, ODIs.
However, Dhawan enjoyed his time on the cricket field and informed PTI that he would be delighted to get back into the side as long as he was playing.
"Till the time I am playing for India, I would like to be an asset and not a liability. I am a calm, matured person. The performance is a reflection of my experience. My basics have been pretty strong and I have put in a lot of work to improve my technique. Understanding a format is also very important. I understand the dynamics of ODI format and that has helped me a lot"
He added:
"I never let this feeling creep into my system that “Oh God, I am playing only one format' or 'I am playing an ODI series after a long time. Will my body respond well to the rigours of international cricket or will it not?' Frankly speaking, I don’t like entertaining these thoughts. I view it like this. If I am playing a format after a gap of two months or three months, it always gives me a chance to remain fresh and come into battle fully fit, and with enough time to work on my game."
Dhawan is a positive individual and the above comments reflect his maturity as a cricketer and a person as a whole.