Is Shikhar Dhawan the most underrated player in the Indian team?
Shikhar Dhawan isn’t into too much chest-thumping. He is not in-your-face aggressive like Virat Kohli nor does he reply to sledging with an equally angry tirade like Rohit Sharma does. He is more likely to smile back at the bowler.
He is nicknamed ‘Gabbar’, but on the field, he is one of the coolest cricketers that you’ll see. He chases down the ball hard on the outfield – he dives well, throws well and is a good team man. He rarely expresses disgust in spite of being run-out by several of his partners. Dhawan has a trademark century celebration. He made moustaches cool and has one of the funkiest hairstyles amongst international cricketers.
The man who holds the record for fastest debut century, against Australia, scores daddy hundreds in ODIs and that too at quite an impressive rate. He is still not 30 and before making his dashing debut, was one on the fringes of the Indian team for the greater part of a decade. He was earmarked for a place in the senior side since the time he piled on tons of runs in the U-19 World Cup.
Yet, for some unperceivable reason, Shikhar Dhawan remains one of the most underrated Indian cricketers. But, the Delhi cricketer has always managed to be flamboyant without being substantial, playing knocks which were eye-catching without being memorable.
However, a look at his numbers tells us a very important story.
Dhawan in ODIs
In the last two years, Dhawan has been India’s second most prolific run-getter and seventh in the world. Dhawan has 1889 runs compared to Virat Kohli’s 2011. Interestingly, Dhawan, like Kohli, has 16 fifty-plus scores. While Kohli has managed to rake in 7 centuries, Dhawan has only 5. But he still has an impressive average for an opener, 44.97 at a strike rate of 90.81 in the last two years.
However, Dhawan has been phenomenally overshadowed by Rohit Sharma, who to his credit has had a great time at the top of the order with 13 fifty-plus scores in just 35 innings. Nevertheless, Dhawan along with Rohit and Kohli has been the lynchpins of India’s batting.
Interestingly, Dhawan is India’s most successful batsman away from home. In 29 innings, Dhawan has amassed 1059 runs at 37.82 with 2 centuries and 6 half-centuries. In the same number of knocks, Kohli has scored around 100 runs fewer and has a lower average too.
Dhawan is also India’s most prolific batsman in wins & sixth overall in the world. He is neck and neck with Virat Kohli with 1352 runs in 23 knocks at an average of 61.45. In the last 2 years, all of Dhawan’s centuries have come in wins, which shows what an impact player he is right at the top. Once again, he is over-shadowed by his opening partner Rohit Sharma who has 1194 runs at 79.60 in 18 knocks.
Dhawan is also only next to Kohli and eighth in the world, amongst being the most prolific batsmen when their skippers have lost the toss. These are the matches when the batsmen don’t necessarily get the best batting conditions, indicating their ability to play tough knocks.
Lastly, Kohli and Dhawan lead the world in most runs in instances when the team has been chasing a total. Dhawan has 1105 runs in 26 knocks at 46.04 compared to Virat’s 1284 at 67.57, substantially ahead of Kumar Sangakkara. Once again, it is clear that Dhawan has been, with the exception of Virat Kohli, India’s most reliable stalwart over a reasonable period of time and yet, very rarely seems to be the most respected batsman in the side.
Underrated is, therefore, the perfect word. He has been the No.2 batsman for India for a reasonable period of time without ever being glorified for it.
Dhawan is the 6th fastest in the world and fastest amongst Indian batsmen to reach 2000 runs in ODI cricket. He did it in 48 innings, same as that of Sir Vivian Richards with Hashim Amla being the fastest, reaching the mark in just 40 innings. Dhawan is tied with Kohli for the fastest Indian to reach 1000 ODI runs with both batsmen reaching there in 24 innings, three short of the world record held by Vivian Richards at 21.
Dhawan in Tests
Dhawan in Tests hasn’t exactly set the stage on fire. In spite of that, he has been India’s fifth most prolific batsman with 971 runs in 25 innings at an average of 38.84 with three centuries and two half-centuries. Dhawan has been in and out of the Test side, dropped for bad form or missing games because of injuries.
In the sub-continental conditions, though, he is India’s best bet, considering his attacking style of play. Strong off the back foot and on the offside, Dhawan’s style of play is not too different from that of Virender Sehwag’s – minimal footwork and optimal run-scoring. At times, he goes at almost run a ball in Tests helping Murali Vijay settle down and play the role of a sheet anchor.
It also helps that Dhawan is left-handed, thus complementing Rohit Sharma in ODIs and Murali Vijay in Test matches while disturbing the line and length of the bowlers.
Conclusion
Dhawan is a much better batsman in ODIs than in Tests. However, in both formats his contributions have been substantial while the recognition he received, minimal. He is still not in Rahul Dravid’s bracket as far as being underrated or being unsung, but he is yet one of India’s lesser celebrated stalwarts in the last three years.