Shikhar Dhawan needs just one good innings to strike form, says Anshuman Gaekwad
Former India head coach Anshuman Gaekwad has stated that Shikhar Dhawan is just one good inning away from returning back to form. Gaekwad further added that the left-hand opening batsman has got a vast experience, and that will benefit Team India in the ODI series during the South Africa tour.
The BCCI on Wednesday, December 8, announced an 18-member Test squad for the South Africa tour. Virat Kohli will lead the national side in the red-ball series, and Rohit Sharma will be his deputy. The BCCI also appointed Rohit Sharma as the ODI captain, and the Indian opener will take over the reins from Virat Kohli during the South Africa tour. India are yet to announce the squad for the three-match ODI series, which is scheduled to begin on January 19.
The IPL 2021 witnessed the rise of several youngsters, and a few of them earned their spot in India’s squad for the T20I home series against New Zealand. Team India will be looking forward to grooming young players for the T20 World Cup 2022, and the ODI World Cup 2023. However, a few of the senior players will be looking forward to featuring in the ODI series against South Africa, and Shikhar Dhawan is one of the frontrunners on the list.
Dhawan was axed from India’s T20 World Cup squad, and later he was not included in the national team squad for the T20I home series against New Zealand. The southpaw, who returned to the Vijay Hazare Trophy, did not have a great start to the tournament as he managed to score only 26 runs from three matches, which includes a duck. Notably, Shikhar Dhawan’s last international assignment was in July when he captained India for a T20I and ODI series in Sri Lanka.
However, former India head coach, Anshuman Gaekwad has backed Shikhar Dhawan, and stated that the left-hander is just one innings away from returning back to form.
“It all depends on how selectors look at it. I believe form can change but class remains, and batters like Shikhar need just one good innings to strike form. Sometimes, you have a bad patch and it has happened to the best of the players, including Sunil Gavaskar and Mohinder Amarnath. In that phase, no matter what you try, you just don’t get the result,” Gaekwad told Sportstar.
“In such times, it is important for some soul searching. You cannot exactly pinpoint what it is - whether it is mental, technical- and such things happen. You have to hang in there and ensure that one innings comes soon. If need be, take a break and start afresh,” he added.
Gaekwad further added that Dhawan has a massive experience in the game of cricket, and that will benefit Team India in ODIs during the tour of South Africa.
“His massive experience. Okay, he is not in best of forms, but then a big match player like him brings that experience in the batting department, which is very crucial in the South African conditions. He could revolve the game around him and also guide the youngster. Just that, he has to back himself and hang in there in those conditions,” Gaekwad said.
The former India team selector, further added that Dhawan’s performance IPL and domestic are unlikely to affect his selection for the ODI series against South Africa.
“IPL cannot be a base for Tests or even ODI cricket, because in the end, they all are different formats. There have been a lot of players who were picked in the national side on the basis of their IPL performances and many have disappeared. You don’t see them in any forms of cricket now, not even in Ranji Trophy or Mushtaq Ali Trophy. So, you need that (temperament and mentality) in international cricket,” Gaekwad said.
“I believe in horses for courses, but at the same time, you have to give importance to experience…And a player like Shikhar has that quality,” he added.
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