Shikhar Dhawan: Players Have To Be Mentally Strong

Shikhar Dhawan of Delhi Capitals has opened up on the challenges being faced by the players while living in a bio-secure bubble and said that cricketers have to be mentally strong.Shikhar Dhawan was born in Delhi and has scored 4579 runs in 159 matches averaging 33.42 with as many as 37 fifties to his name.

In 61 T20Is however he averages 28.35 but his average is above 40 in 34 Tests and 130 ODIs where he scored 2315 and 5650 runs respectively with 7 and 17 centuries to his name. Shikhar Dhawan has played previously for Mumbai Indians, Deccan Chargers and Sunrisers Hyderabad before returning to Delhi.

Shreyas Iyer To Lead Delhi Capitals

Shreyas Iyer will lead Delhi Capitals once again and their team consists of Ajinkya Rahane who was traded in from Rajasthan Royals and Ravichandran Ashwin who was traded in from Kings XI Punjab. The duo will add balance and experience to the side consisting of foreigners Shimron Hetmyer, Kagiso Rabada, Daniel Sams, and Anrich Nortje among others.

The team also includes experienced spinner Amit Mishra, pacer Ishant Sharma besides batsmen Rishabh Pant and Prithvi Shaw. They left out Colin Munro, Trent Boult and Colin Ingram, and some others from the batch of 2019.

Shikhar Dhawan Not Finding It Difficult To Adapt To Conditions In UAE

However, the 34-year-old Shikhar Dhawan himself is not finding it difficult to adapt to these conditions in the UAE and said he is looking at this as an opportunity to blend with his teammates.

“There are challenges of being in the bubble, you do not meet new people. Our team has an entertainment room, our franchise has looked after us, we are living like a family, it depends on the person how he sees the situation,” Dhawan said in a press conference here on Sunday.

“It is an opportunity for me to blend with the team-mates. There are no outlets for going outside, people have to be mentally strong, for me it is an opportunity and I am sure I will explore it,” he added.

Initially, the 13th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) was slated to begin on March 29 but it was postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic. Now, the tournament will take place in the UAE, starting from September 19. IPL 2020 will be played across three venues — Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Sharjah. During the tournament, the players will have to follow several protocols laid down by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) including staying in a bio-secure bubble as a precautionary measure against the virus.