International cricket demands mental toughness, says Rishi Dhawan
May 25, 2016 at 8:21 PM
Rishi Dhawan thinks that international cricket demands indefatigable mental toughness. he believes that he has overcome the mental demons of the Australia tour ahead of a crucial trip to Zimbabwe next month.
“I did not get to do much in IPL but I was expecting to be picked. I had done well in Ranji Trophy and Vijay Hazare and I was confident that I will be rewarded for consistent performances in domestic cricket,” Dhawan told. He has managed a spot in the second string squad for the three ODIs and two T20 Internationals in Zimbabwe, beginning June 11.
Dhawan played three out of five ODIs in Australia. While he did not get to do much with the bat, his effort with the ball was nothing to write home about as he ended up conceding 160 runs off 25 overs. “The Australia experience taught me a lot. I picked up a lot of things just by watching how seniors train in the nets. There were times I felt the pressure and nerves and since then I have focussed a lot on the mental side of the game,” said the 26-year-old from Mandi.
Dhawan has worked a lot of late on increasing his pace. “Last two months I have been working a lot on my bowling. I have made a conscious effort to increase my pace. The chats with Bharat Arun sir (bowling coach) in Australia also gave me confidence. Since swinging the ball is my strength, he just advised me to bowl in the good areas and do that consistently,” he said.
In the end, he was all praise for the newly elected BCCI boss Anurag Thakur, who also hails from Himachal. “He has already done a lot for Himachal cricket. We have all the facilities in the state and I see a lot potential in the juniors.”