Is Shikhar Dhawan's consistency his biggest asset in the IPL?

The Indian Premier League is a platform for cricketers to showcase their talent whether it is from India or from other countries. Players come to this league to show what their worth is and how good they can be on the international stage when given an opportunity. The IPL is not like a Caribbean Premier League or Big Bash League or any other league in the world. The simple reason for that is millions of people watch this league across the world and no other league can match the viewership which makes it more challenging and rewarding at the same time for players. 

The pressure that comes with it is also immense as many of the matches have really high intensity and can produce moments that have never been seen before. Fans who come to the stadium to watch the game are really passionate and will get behind the player or the side that they support. Players like Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, MS Dhoni and many more are used to such pressure because they have been playing for many years and know how to react in situations like these. 

Another cricketer who has the ability to handle pressure and carry the burden of expectations without letting it get the better of him is Shikhar Dhawan. The southpaw is one of the most loved batters in Indian cricket and has done exceptionally well for the Indian team in international matches. The class that he shows when he comes out to bat is unmatched and makes batting so easy and extremely pleasing to the eyes when on the song. Shikhar's performances over the years in international cricket are a testament to how good he has been for the Indian team. 

In ICC tournaments, Shikhar Dhawan has been one of the best performers in the history of Indian cricket. The ability to give his side great starts early on and take the game away from the opposition is something that he has done consistently. The left-handed batter runs hard between the wickets which shows how fit he is and is always aware of the game situation. He knows how to play the situation in whichever format he might be playing. However, now Shikhar Dhawan is only considered in the One Day Internationals setup when it comes to playing for India. 

Shikhar Dhawan's performances over the years have made him into a batter who can be trusted to do well for his side. The cricketer from Delhi is also consistently doing well in the Indian Premier League. In a league where all eyes are mostly on youngsters who have the potential to play for their respective countries in the future, Shikhar Dhawan never fails to impress and mostly remains under the radar. The left-handed batter for many years now has been an asset for any side that he has played for and consistently scores run for them. This makes him one of the most sought-after batters whenever he makes his way to the auction pool of the Indian Premier League.

If we have a look at his run since 2016, Shikhar Dhawan has every year managed to cross the 450-run mark. In 2016, the southpaw scored 501 runs with an average of 38.53. This was the beginning of the rise of Shikhar Dhawan in the IPL as a consistent performer for any franchise that he played for. 

In 2017, Dhawan played 14 matches and scored 479 runs with an average of 36.84. The left-handed batter was giving brilliant performances with each passing year and in 2018 he managed to score 497 runs with an average of 38.23 which was better than his previous year showing. 

It seemed like Shikhar Dhawan was maturing every year and was having a better understanding of his game which is why in 2019, he scored 521 runs from 16 games that he played and averaged 34. 73. Dhawan's average dipped a bit in that season but he did make sure that he scored runs at crucial moments for his side. 

The 2020 season for the Shikhar Dhawan was massive and unforgettable as he was at his very best and smashed 617 runs with an average of 44.14 which is massive in T20 cricket. The thing that was even better and grabbed the attention of fans, as well as cricket experts, was his strike rate. Dhawan's strike rate had gone up to 144.73 which was a huge improvement from the previous years. 

In 2021, the left-hander played 16 games and amassed 587 runs with an average of 39.13 which is staggering. To give such performances for six years in a row is massive and speaks volumes about the kind of form that Shikhar Dhawan has been in. The consistency that he has shown over the years speaks volumes about the kind of performer he has been for any team that he has played in the Indian Premier League. The 2022 season is also going smoothly for him as he has scored 307 runs from 9 games so far averaging 38.38.

Shikhar Dhawan is one of the rare cricketers who silently goes about his job in every season of the IPL. Yes, he might get the big bucks when he is in the auction pool but what he gives in return in the form of consistency to the franchise that he plays for is unmatched. Dhawan's understanding of his own game has helped him become a better batter over the years in the IPL. 

This means that Shikhar Dhawan's consistency is his biggest asset in the IPL for several years now and it may not be long before the left-handed batter surpasses Virat Kohli to become the top run-scorer in the Indian Premier League.