That Shikhar Dhawan becomes a whole different force when it comes to ICC events is a fact that can hardly be contested. In the 2013 ICC Champions Trophy, he amassed two centuries and a fifty. Come the 2015 World Cup, he repeated that feat and also came up with big contributions in the 2017 edition of the Champions Trophy that concluded in June. Between the said events, however, he has had a few slumps that has resulted in him being out of the reckoning on occasions.
But since his latest comeback, Dhawan has gone from strength to strength with each performance of his, and in doing so, reaffirming his footing as one of the key members in the core group. His latest contribution was an unbeaten 132 in the opening ODI against Sri Lanka, that resulted in India’s biggest victory in the format in terms of deliveries remaining,
“I would like to keep performing well. That would be my goal because I don’t perform there are such great batsmen in our side that anyone can take the place,” said Dhawan, who also recollected how some of his past failures have made him stronger as a cricketer. “I embrace that period also. When I was not doing well I was just focusing on my processes. And when I am doing well, I am still focusing on my processes. I feel failure teaches you a lot and I am lucky I have learnt so much out of that.”
A few days before the start of the ODI series between Sri Lanka and India, the visiting team’s chief selector, MSK Prasad, had stressed that the emphasis, going forward in Indian cricket, would be on fitness in the lead up to the 2019 World Cup. Parameters and strict adherence were some of the terms he had used to make his point while he also advocated a rotation policy to identify and nurture a core unit that would feature predominantly in the mega event. Dhawan too spoke about fitness and the need to perform consistently in order to remain atop the pecking order when it comes to team selection.
“I would like to keep my fitness on a high level because all the young boys are there (in the Indian side). I like to keep myself fit (and be) at the pace of the game. I don’t really have too many goals that I have to score these many runs. I just focus on my process and in my process everything comes in. My fitness, skills, fielding. These are my process and I keep doing it,” he said.
Elaborating on the fitness, especially how it helps a team become stronger as a fielding unit, Dhawan said: “It is very important that everyone should be at the same level of fitness. Fielding is a major part in all three formats. One loose fielding can change the momentum and in today’s cricket you have to be fit. Now it is very high-paced cricket and you have to be fit. It’s a very fair thing. If you are not fit then I think the team has to take that load and it’s not fair on the team. Every cricket team like Australia, England, etc. they all have fitness parameters. So it’s good that we are doing it and becoming more professional,” Dhawan said.
Speaking about being professional, the Indians were just that as they clinically dismantled Sri Lanka for 216 before reaching the target with more than 20 overs to spare. Be it the batting, bowling or fielding, India appeared light-years ahead of the home team to extend their dominating run in the series. Such was the apathy of Sri Lanka’s performance that slogans were being shouted against them and abuses were hurled as the fans held a mini protest outside the ground after the match. Dhawan, though, had some comforting words for the Sri Lankan team.
“This is a young side and they are in transition period where all the boys will mature. In international cricket you need to have that experience. The young boys are good but with time they will get better that’s what I feel.
“I don’t use those harsh words,” he said when asked if this was the worst Sri Lankan attack he has faced in his career. “They have a good fast-bowling attack. Even in the Champions Trophy, they beat us. It’s just that we have got a mature side, very experienced side so that plays a huge role because how you handle pressure situations matters a lot with experience. So I feel that with time Sri Lankan team will do good,” Dhawan concluded.
