Is Shikhar the one?
Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of the site.
I was going through the media’s coverage of the fine victory for India over South Africa in the opening match of on-going Champions Trophy. One and all, especially the print media, have highlighted the superb performance of Shikhar Dhawan, underlining the fact that he scored 114 valuable runs and that this happened to be his first century in ODI cricket. This was almost on the lines of another splendid innings he had played against Australia in a Test match a few months back. This victory will certainly boost the morale of the Indian squad for the next match to be played against West Indies on Tuesday.
This firebrand batting by Shikhar Dhawan is commendable. Also, Shikhar translates to “summit”, and if he continues to repeat the same performances frequently, he will hold true to his name. One of my friends, who has tremendous faith in Shikhar Dhawan, was delighted while explaining the level of confidence, aggression and bold stroke-making which Shikhar Dhawan demonstrated during his recent performances. But how good is he really?
It is very difficult to deny that at times Shikhar Dhawan appears to be a perfect batsman. Stylish and moody, he shows complete control over his batting and rhythm.
A few others term this as an amazing performance. Agreed. Also, as a personal achievement, Shikhar Dhawan became the 3rd batsman after former great opener Srikkanth and MS Dhoni to complete 100 runs in less than 100 balls in two formats of the game i.e. Test match and ODI.
However, if you notice closely, both his recent centuries came against bowling attacks not at their peak. His century against Australia was compiled against an already depleted and deflated attack who knew they had virtually lost the series. Again, his century against South Africa came at a time when Steyn was not playing and Morkel was not fully fit. This tells us something, doesn’t it?
Also, there is something else which bothers many of us and this is perhaps the reason that Shikhar Dhawan normally gets appreciation and criticism at the same time. In one innings, it appears that he has full control over the game, the way he executes the shots in an immaculate copybook style. But he is unable to perform consistently, and his style, grip and confidence totally vanishes. He bats like an amateur at times. Very often, he gives away his wicket cheaply. His ODI average of less than 20 speaks volumes about his lack of consistency. Even in the two warm up matches for Champions Trophy, he failed to get going.
Possibly, this is the reason that he is neither treated as a gentleman cricketer, nor is a favorite of many, despite the fact that he has been there for quite a long period of time. He has been given an enormous amount of chances to seal a permanent place in the squad but I really do not realize what exactly seems missing.
The point at issue here is not precisely the lack of consistency, but the concerned viewers also at times point out the temperament, reliability, shaken confidence, and even a careless/arrogant attitude adopted by Shikhar Dhawan. Many believe that it is a specific set of conditions under which Shikhar Dhawan’s shinning performance is seen. However, his inconsistency shows that there is a kind of hype which Shikhar Dhawan is riding on. He has barely fulfilled his potential despite being on the fringes of Indian squad since many years. Till date, he has not proved trustworthy as a Raina or Virat Kohli, even in IPL.
I strongly believe that if nourished under the appropriate conditions and with dedicated professional coaching (a bit of counseling too if needed!), he can still do miracles in the future. I regret if my opinion hurts but then we all love him and his potential is limitless. Good luck Mr Dhawan, I intend to see you scaling the summit soon.