India vs New Zealand | India has very strong bench strength, believes Shikhar Dhawan

The Indian team is having a great run recently as they won both the Test and the ODI series in Australia and now is off to a great start in New Zealand after beating them in the first ODI in Napier. Prior to the Australia tour, the Indian side had got the better of the Windies. However, the Indian team management is making a few changes in the playing XI considering the strong bench strength that the team has at the current stage.

Dhawan gave the example of Prithvi Shaw who scored a Test hundred on debut against the Windies in October but had to miss out in Australia due to an injury.

“Take the case of Prithvi Shaw, the way he came into the Test team and scored a century and then 70 runs. Everyone has to be on their toes. Our team has been performing very well. Our bench strength is also very strong,” Dhawan said at the press conference, reported ANI. 

Dhawan got to  5000 ODI runs during his unbeaten knock of 75 in Napier and saw the Indians taking a 1-0 lead in the five-match series in New Zealand. The 33-year-old opener has 5065 runs in one-dayers from 119 matches at an average of 45.63. 

“This milestone is part of the journey. I am happy to achieve it and will be looking forward to scoring more runs for my team and do well consistently. Once you get the experience, you take the things with ease and you know what to do and what not to do. I back my instinct and know my technique suits. It is a mental adjustment... once I am at the pitch I create a plan in that particular moment,” the opener explained. 

Dhawan was involved in a 91-run partnership with Virat Kohli for the second wicket after India had lost Rohit Sharma in the 10th over. India was chasing a small target of 156 against the Kiwis in 49 overs and was one wicket down. Dhawan explained more about the partnership with the skipper and also how he adjusts according to the target as an opener.  

 “We (Virat Kohli and I) rotate the strike very well, that is one thing that keeps the pressure off. If one hits the boundary, it boosts the other,” the Delhi batsman said.

“We always plan that our top order scores more and stays longer at the pitch. But it also depends on the target, match to match, score to score and a little bit on the mood. If the target is 300 or plus, we cannot play slow. In the first 10 overs as an opener we have to put up scores quickly and create momentum.”