“The Way Shikhar Dhawan Is Playing At The Moment, He Should Be Given A Chance,” Says Batsman’s Childhood Coach
May 23, 2023 at 5:20 PM
The race to make it to the squad for the Champions Trophy is interesting as there are a number of players who are performing well in the Indian Premier League (IPL), thus adding to the headache of selectors. One of the headache for the selectors will be to select the second opener for the Indian team as there are two applicants for one job.
The first applicant to open the innings with Rohit Sharma is Gautam Gambhir whereas the second applicant to do the job with Rohit Sharma is Gambhir’s junior – Shikhar Dhawan.
Both are performing well in IPL and it will be a big challenge for selectors to select one of two players.
Both the batsmen have certain challenges which they have in their way leading to team India as Gambhir played his last ODI in 2013, which can go against him whereas it is the poor form of Shikhar Dhawan in international cricket in recent times that can prove to be costlier for him.
The latter even saw himself dropped from Indian team following some poor performances in the season 2016/17.
Still, both have an equal chance of acquiring that one spot but Tarak Sinha, the childhood coach of Shikhar Dhawan has said that it should be Dhawan who should be there in the squad for Champions Trophy,
“Look, it’s the duty of the selectors to select the team and it is not my job. Gambhir is also a good player but the way Dhawan is playing at the moment, he deserves a chance. Dhawan is a senior player. He has done well in past. Still, the Indian team do not have any substitute for him. Yes KL Rahul is on the team but still, Dhawan has that quality to be in the team. He has those rare qualities which are needed in an international player,” Sinha told Sportzwiki.
Furter asked upon Dhawan’s poor form in recent time, Sinha said that it is part and parcel of the game and every player has to deal with it,
“It’s the part and parcel of the game. Each and every player goes through a rough path. He also underwent that stage. He is in good form at the moment and should get a chance,” he added.
The race to that one spot is evenly poised and everyone has to wait until May 9, when BCCI announces the squad for the Champions Trophy. As of now, Dhawan and Gambhir are the only two aspirants for the spot but one should not be surprised if selectors have a surprise in the bag.