There is a curious case of Shikhar Dhawan. The veteran player has been in Grade C of retainership in BCCI Central Contracts, earning Rs 1 Crore a year. Yet, Dhawan does not feature in Asia Cup 2023, Asian Games 2023 or World Cup 2023 plans. The question is, why is he there and why has he been retained if he does not feature in plans in any format?
With Ishan Kishan and Shubman Gill shining bright in ODIs with double tons, Shikhar Dhawan has been phased out from India Cricket Team. Shubman Gill’s form has ensured that there is no place for Dhawan either in Asia Cup or World Cup. And as the Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee pushes for young talents in the T20 format, Dhawan has no place in Asian Games even though he has done well in IPL 2023 for Punjab Kings.
Yet, Dhawan continues to better his fitness. He has been at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) frequently, raising the question of what is the plan.
“The door is not closed for Shikhar for sure. There are three formats and a packed calendar and we should always have backups ready when there are big tournaments. For the moment, it is Ajit’s call. If he wants to try younger players, it’s his and the selectors’ call,” a senior BCCI official told InsideSport.
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Shikhar Dhawan since 2019 World Cup
- Matches: 37
- Runs: 1313
- HS: 98
- Avg: 41.03
- 100/50: 0/12
In these four years, Shubman Gill has emerged as the best option. In 24 ODIs since 2019, Gill has scored 1311 runs at an average of 65.55. He has a 107.10 strike rate, 4 centuries and five fifties apart from a double century. All these stats have left Dhawan way behind.
Add Ishan Kishan to the mix and things get more complicated. Ishan is a top-order batter and with both KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant out with long-time injuries, he has been an important cog as a backup keeper.
Now, Sanju Samson and Suryakumar Yadav too have been kept in reserves for ODI World Cup with Shreyas Iyer doubtful. But Dhawan does not feature in any of the lists. At best, despite his best efforts, Dhawan can be a backup only if either Shubman Gill, Rohit Sharma or KL Rahul suffers any injuries before World Cup.
The fact that Shikhar Dhawan has failed to adapt to the new-age batting in ODIs, at a better strike rate in the powerplays has added to the reason for his exile. He last played in the Bangladesh series, managing only 7,8 and 3 in three innings.
“At the moment, it’s difficult for Shikhar for sure. But people should also understand that it’s sports and there can be injuries. He is the next best player at the moment and he will be around. Once the World Cup is over, Ajit will speak to him on a transition plan. For now, he is as important as any player,” the BCCI official said.
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