Shikhar Dhawan
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| + | =A brief biography= | ||
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| + | [https://epaper.indiatimes.com/article-share?article=26_08_2024_018_006_cap_TOI Gaurav Gupta, August 26, 2024: ''The Times of India''] | ||
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| + | Mumbai : Former India opener Shikhar Dhawan, owes a significant part of his success to two stalwarts of Indian cricket from Mumbai—Dilip Vengsarkar and Sandeep Patil. These two ensured that Dhawan was selected at the right time in his career. Both Vengsarkar and Patil made strong, and sometimes unpopular, decisions during their tenure as chief national selectors, but are still appreciated for identifying young talent and picking players at the opportune moment. | ||
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In early March 2013, it was at Patil’s insistence that Dhawan was picked for India’s squad for the third Test against the visiting Australians in Mohali. Replacing the great Virender Sehwag, who was then going through a lean patch, Dhawan immediately made his mark by smashing a magnificent 187 off just 174 balls, including an 85-ball century—the fastest by any batter on Test debut. | ||
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“You should support a young cricketer who’s in form. Getting the right opportunity at the right time is extremely important. At that point, Shikhar had just returned from India A’s South African tour after scoring a double century and a century there. Unfortunately, we had to make a tough call. All my four co-selectors opposed my decision (to select Dhawan over Sehwag), but ultimately, something good happened. He scored a hundred on his Test debut. It proved that my idea of picking him was right. I don’t want to take credit for this. I give credit to Shikhar because he proved my decision right. He saved me!” Patil told TOI. | ||
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| + | Years before this, Dhawan shot into the limelight during the 2004 Under-19 World Cup in Dhaka, where he emerged as the tournament’s highest run-getter. The left-hander set the event on fire, amassing 505 runs in seven innings at an average of 84.16. | ||
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Few know that it was Vengsarkar who played a crucial role in Dhawan’s selection for that tournament after he had initially been dropped by the then India Under-19 selectors due to poor performance in a couple of trial matches in Mumbai.
Recalling that episode, Vengsarkar told TOI: “In 2004, I was the chairman of the BCCI’s TRDW (Talent Research Development Wing), and Jagmohan Dalmiya (then BCCI president) asked me to attend all the selection committee meetings of the India Under-19 team as well. | ||
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“Before the squad was announced, the BCCI had organized two one-day selection trial matches at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, which I couldn’t attend due to a prior commitment. When the squad was announced, I noticed Shikhar’s name was missing. I had been watching him since his Under-16 days. When I asked the selectors why he was dropped, I was told that he didn’t score in those two matches. Pushing for his selection, I told them, ‘So what if he failed in these two matches? He’s a good player, just pick him.’ To their credit, the selectors respected my opinion, and Dhawan was picked. He ended up being the highest run-getter of the tournament.” | ||
=Achievements= | =Achievements= | ||
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“The way Shikhar is batting was really great to see,“ Kohli said after the win over South Africa. “To have him play his natural game, play free cricket, get boundaries regularly, that really eases the situation out for the whole team. I'm glad he's backing himself.“ Dhawan's seemingly happy-go lucky demeanour hides a steely resolve. It's easy to forget he scored the fastest Test century by a debutant after nine years of exile on the domestic circuit, during which he had been completely written off as an international prospect. He seems in no hurry to return to those days. If Dhawan's timing clicks for another two games, Kohli will have new landmarks at the Oval to celebrate. | “The way Shikhar is batting was really great to see,“ Kohli said after the win over South Africa. “To have him play his natural game, play free cricket, get boundaries regularly, that really eases the situation out for the whole team. I'm glad he's backing himself.“ Dhawan's seemingly happy-go lucky demeanour hides a steely resolve. It's easy to forget he scored the fastest Test century by a debutant after nine years of exile on the domestic circuit, during which he had been completely written off as an international prospect. He seems in no hurry to return to those days. If Dhawan's timing clicks for another two games, Kohli will have new landmarks at the Oval to celebrate. | ||
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Revision as of 19:28, 19 September 2024
This is a collection of articles archived for the excellence of their content. |
Contents |
A brief biography
His talent is spotted
Gaurav Gupta, August 26, 2024: The Times of India
Mumbai : Former India opener Shikhar Dhawan, owes a significant part of his success to two stalwarts of Indian cricket from Mumbai—Dilip Vengsarkar and Sandeep Patil. These two ensured that Dhawan was selected at the right time in his career. Both Vengsarkar and Patil made strong, and sometimes unpopular, decisions during their tenure as chief national selectors, but are still appreciated for identifying young talent and picking players at the opportune moment.
In early March 2013, it was at Patil’s insistence that Dhawan was picked for India’s squad for the third Test against the visiting Australians in Mohali. Replacing the great Virender Sehwag, who was then going through a lean patch, Dhawan immediately made his mark by smashing a magnificent 187 off just 174 balls, including an 85-ball century—the fastest by any batter on Test debut.
“You should support a young cricketer who’s in form. Getting the right opportunity at the right time is extremely important. At that point, Shikhar had just returned from India A’s South African tour after scoring a double century and a century there. Unfortunately, we had to make a tough call. All my four co-selectors opposed my decision (to select Dhawan over Sehwag), but ultimately, something good happened. He scored a hundred on his Test debut. It proved that my idea of picking him was right. I don’t want to take credit for this. I give credit to Shikhar because he proved my decision right. He saved me!” Patil told TOI.
Years before this, Dhawan shot into the limelight during the 2004 Under-19 World Cup in Dhaka, where he emerged as the tournament’s highest run-getter. The left-hander set the event on fire, amassing 505 runs in seven innings at an average of 84.16.
Few know that it was Vengsarkar who played a crucial role in Dhawan’s selection for that tournament after he had initially been dropped by the then India Under-19 selectors due to poor performance in a couple of trial matches in Mumbai. Recalling that episode, Vengsarkar told TOI: “In 2004, I was the chairman of the BCCI’s TRDW (Talent Research Development Wing), and Jagmohan Dalmiya (then BCCI president) asked me to attend all the selection committee meetings of the India Under-19 team as well. “Before the squad was announced, the BCCI had organized two one-day selection trial matches at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, which I couldn’t attend due to a prior commitment. When the squad was announced, I noticed Shikhar’s name was missing. I had been watching him since his Under-16 days. When I asked the selectors why he was dropped, I was told that he didn’t score in those two matches. Pushing for his selection, I told them, ‘So what if he failed in these two matches? He’s a good player, just pick him.’ To their credit, the selectors respected my opinion, and Dhawan was picked. He ended up being the highest run-getter of the tournament.”
Achievements
2017: The dream run continues
Partha Bhaduri, June 13, 2017: The Times of India
Modern Indian cricketers aren't too attuned to the game's history . They rely, instead, on a natural, learn-as-you-go process to develop both their game and worldview.
So when Virat Kohli was asked a day before the game against South Africa what the Oval meant to him, there was not even a passing mention of the landmark 1971 Test, forget 1979, when Sunil Gavaskar nearly pulled off a heist, or the relatively recent Rahul Dravid double.
Kohli was, instead, very much clued into the present limited-overs scenario, saying, “The two games that are very special for Indian cricket would be the seven-match series we had here and Robin (Uthappa) getting us across the line (in 2007; Kohli wasn't a part of those games).
“And then against West Indies in the Champions Trophy back in the day when Shikhar (Dhawan) got a hundred and we chased a total down.So those two memories are very special for Indian cricket at the Oval.“
While Robin Uthappa isn't a part of this Champions Trophy team, it's instructive the captain remembered Dhawan's knock among all others.The left-handed opener's significance in India's One-day scheme of things cannot be overstated.
The team management is always willing to give Dhawan the benefit of doubt when he is off-colour. They seem to know thing or two about the Delhi cricketer's ability to raise his game in multi-team ODI events.
“Back in the day“ too, Dhawan, seemingly cavalier, always confident, attractive with his strokeplay when he gets going, possessed the rare ability to bring his A-game to ICC events, like he did in the 2004 Under-19 World Cup, scoring three centuries in seven innings and averaging 84.16.
In the game Kohli mentioned, Dhawan had scored an unbeaten 102 off 107 balls. He seems to have carried on in this edition from where he left off in the 2013 Champions Trophy , when he was Man of the Series, averaging 90.75 at slightly more than a run-a-ball strike rate and scoring two hundreds in five innings. Or even the 2015 World Cup, when he was the highest run-getter for India.
Impressively, he has the best alltime average when it comes to World Cups and Champions Trophies combined, averaging 69.73 with five hundreds and four fifties, putting him well above Saeed Anwar and Vivian Richards at No.1 on the list.
Then there's the special England connection: Dhawan always seems to do well on English pitches, the best by far, actually. Among batsmen with at least 500 ODI runs on English soil, Dhawan has the best average of 78.90, well above Vivian Richards' 64.04.Dhawan has played 12 games as compared to Viv's 31.
This time around, he has been central to India's plans of consolidating up the order and setting the platform for a late surge: even a trademark century against Sri Lanka wasn't enough for India to sail through, though his assurance ensured no hiccups in the small chase against South Africa. As usual, Dhawan is heading the batting charts, and just became the fastest to 1000 runs in 50-over ICC events, achieving the feat in 16 innings compared to Sachin Tendulkar's 18.
“The way Shikhar is batting was really great to see,“ Kohli said after the win over South Africa. “To have him play his natural game, play free cricket, get boundaries regularly, that really eases the situation out for the whole team. I'm glad he's backing himself.“ Dhawan's seemingly happy-go lucky demeanour hides a steely resolve. It's easy to forget he scored the fastest Test century by a debutant after nine years of exile on the domestic circuit, during which he had been completely written off as an international prospect. He seems in no hurry to return to those days. If Dhawan's timing clicks for another two games, Kohli will have new landmarks at the Oval to celebrate.
