'Shikhar Dhawan will not get an opportunity in Test cricket in the near future' - Aakash Chopra
Former Indian opening batsman Aakash Chopra believes that it would be difficult for Shikhar Dhawan to stage a comeback to the Indian Test team. He added that the Indian team management has already started looking beyond the dashing opener for the longest version of the game.
Aakash Chopra put forth his views on Shikhar Dhawan's future as a Test cricketer while responding to viewer queries on his YouTube channel.
On being asked if Shikhar Dhawan would ever get a chance to play Test cricket again, Aakash Chopra responded that while one can never be sure, he doesn't see the left-hander playing the format anytime soon.
The reputed commentator even pointed out that when he had picked a 30-member squad recently for India's upcoming tour to Australia, he had chosen Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, Mayank Agarwal and Prithvi Shaw as the four Test match openers.
"Never say never. He might get an opportunity but will he get it that soon. I don't think it will happen quickly because yesterday only I was picking a team where I picked a squad of 30 players, there when I was jotting down Test openers I wrote Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, Mayank Agarwal and Prithvi Shaw."
Aakash Chopra opined that with four openers already ahead of him in the pecking order, Shikhar Dhawan might struggle to make the Test squad in the foreseeable future.
"If you have 4 players already ahead and you are in the 5th position, that means that the position of strength you were in at one point of time is no longer there. That privilege is not available to you anymore."
"So, Shikhar Dhawan as a Test cricketer may happen sometime in the future but not in the near future."
Aakash Chopra on Shikhar Dhawan's future with the Indian team
Aakash Chopra observed that the Indian team has started looking beyond Shikhar Dhawan in red-ball cricket, while keeping him in the scheme of things in the shorter versions of the game.
"The team has also started looking ahead. I feel, although they have not said, that they have taken a call on his Test career. You can continue to play ODIs and T20s, you are an amazing white-ball player so you can have a blast there but in Test cricket we are investing in other players."
Aakash Chopra iterated that Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, Mayank Agarwal and Prithvi Shaw were the ones the Indian team is investing in as openers for Test cricket.
"Whether it is Rohit Sharma or KL Rahul, who should be opening in Test matches very soon, Mayank Agarwal no doubt and Prithvi Shaw has done enough in the few matches he has played."
He concluded that Shikhar Dhawan is unlikely to get an opportunity as a Test opener anytime soon.
"So, I do think that Shikhar Dhawan will be getting a chance now."
Shikhar Dhawan has represented India in 34 Test matches, scoring 2315 runs at a decent average of 40.61. But his last Test match was way back in September 2018, during India's tour to England, where he could manage just 4 runs in the two innings.