Shikhar Dhawan has had a torrid time in the last six months. Apart from going through a marital separation and not getting picked for India’s T20 World Cup squad despite having an industrious IPL 2021, the southpaw turned in underwhelming performances for Delhi and has had to fight for the opening slot in ODIs.
But he has overcome all the setbacks and successfully repaid the team management’s faith in him. Dhawan revealed he doesn’t listen to external opinions and has learned to stay calm even in the face of adversity.
Asked about his personal goals, especially with the ODI World Cup about 20 months away, Shikhar Dhawan said he only wishes to stay fit and healthy.
After the 1-2 loss in the Test series, India have fallen 0-1 behind in the three-match ODI series. The next two games are scheduled for Friday and Sunday respectively.
“The ball I got out to, it turned more than I expected” – Shikhar Dhawan
Chasing a stiff 297 for victory, India didn’t get off to the best of starts as interim captain KL Rahul fell for 12 off 17. But senior pros Shikhar Dhawan and Virat Kohli steadied the ship with a 92-run second wicket stand.
Dhawan admitted that the Boland Park pitch was akin to that of an Indian track, with the spinners getting the ball to both turn and go with the arm. He further highlighted the importance of big partnerships, reasoning that new batters took time to adjust to the pace of the surface.
Earlier in the day, skipper Temba Bavuma (110 off 143) and Rassie van der Dussen (129* off 96) stitched a colossal 204-run alliance for the fourth wicket to power the Proteas to an above-par 296 for 4.
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