"The aim is to build a happy environment" - Shikhar Dhawan ahead of Sri Lanka tour
Shikhar Dhawan, India's captain for the forthcoming tour of Sri Lanka, has opened up about his roles and responsibilities with the young side. The left-handed opener said on Sunday that he and head coach Rahul Dravid have synced together 'really well' and now aim to build a positive and happy environment.
India will play three ODIs and as many T20Is in the island nation, starting on July 13. It will also be the second national coaching assignment for Dravid, who has spent most of the past few years building the team's bench strength with India 'A' and Under-19 players.
"It's a great honour for me to be captain of the Indian team. I am looking forward to it. I've played under Rahul Dravid's coaching once for India A. We sync together really well and looking forward to the Sri Lanka series. We'll build a lot of positive things. The aim is to build a happy environment," Shikhar Dhawan said in the pre-departure press conference.
The tour of Sri Lanka will see Shikhar Dhawan become India's 25th ODI captain. He has years of experience in leading Delhi in the domestic arena, as well as 10 games with the Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL where he won 4 and lost 6. He'll also have the support of Bhuvneshwar Kumar, who'll take up the role of vice-captain for the tour.
"Everybody is confident that we will do well" - Shikhar Dhawan
Shikhar Dhawan also talked about the mood in the camp. He said that every member is confident to take up the challenge and is raring to hit the ground running in regards to their preparation.
"This is a very good team. There is positivity, confidence in our team and everybody is confident that we will do well. There is lot of excitement. It is a new challenge but at the same time it is a great opportunity for all of us to show our talent. Everybody is waiting (for the tour to begin). 13-14 days have passed since we are in quarantine, so the players are waiting when we can hit the ground and we have 10-12 days for preparation. The team is a nice blend of experience and youth," added Shikhar Dhawan.
The 20-member squad for the tour includes white-ball specialists, promising youngsters from the IPL and domestic cricket, and some players who are on the fringes of the main team waiting for their opportunities to make a mark.
All of these cricketers will either eye a berth in their IPL teams or the bigger goal of the T20 World Cup in October-November, making the tour a treat to watch.