Indian veteran opener Shikhar Dhawan opened up about the ego problems in the Indian cricket team, which was a much-discussed topic post-2019 ODI World Cup in England. There was a talk that things were not good between high-profile Indian players like Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma.
The veteran opener in an exclusive interview with Aaj Tak stated many things including the loss of his place in the Indian team, the rise of Shubman Gill in International cricket, his relationship, and many more.
Speaking about the divided groups in the Indian team, which emerged post-India’s loss against New Zealand in the semifinal of the 2019 World Cup, Dhawan reiterated that it is normal to have such issues.
“It’s a very human and normal thing to have egos. We are together for (almost) 220 days. Sometimes there are misunderstandings between people. It’s the same with us as well. I am not speaking about Rohit (Sharma) or Virat (Kohli), but a general thing,” Shikhar Dhawan said.
Shikhar Dhawan, who was regularly part of the Indian team since 2013, spoke about the incident he stated that India has a large group of players–and there is the possibility to have some clashes in the team.
“We have a 40-member team, which includes support staff and managers. There could be some clashes and times when you are not happy with someone. It happens. And why not? When things improve, the love also increases,” Dhawan added.
They were reports suggesting then Indian vice-captain Rohit Sharma was unhappy with Virat Kohli over the team selection–and a few decisions in the semifinal, which head coach Ravi Shastri later resolved for the betterment of the team.
Leading A IPL Team Is A Big Thing – Shikhar Dhawan
Shikhar Dhawan will return as the captain in IPL for Punjab Kings in the 2023 season. Dhawan is going to be the new captain of the Punjab Kings replacing Mayank Agarwal. Dhawan said that he is excited to lead the Punjab side–and wants to do well for the franchise in the upcoming season
“I am leading Punjab Kings this year. At this stage of a career, leading a team is a big thing. At the same time, I have recently been left out of the Indian team. Before that, I led the team and both I and the team performed well. So there are quite a few positives. As of now, I am not on the team, so that is also right.”
Punjab Kings (PBKS) will play their opening game of IPL 2023 against Kolkata Knight Riders. The match will be played on April 1 at Punjab Cricket Association IS Bindra Stadium in Mohali.