Back in the mix, Dhawan looks to make a mark in SA
MUMBAI: It’s a partnership that began almost a decade back, at the 2013 Champions Trophy, and ever since, Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli have blazed a destructive trail in ODIS as India’s top order.
They helped India win the 2013 ICC event. The team fell marginally short at the 2014-15 World Cup, the 2017 Champions Trophy and the 2019 World Cup, but the three dazzled in each.
Dhawan averaged 90.75 at the 2013 Champions Trophy, 51.50 at the 2014-15 World Cup, 67.60 at the 2017 Champions Trophy, 62.60 at the 2019 World Cup. Sharma’s averages at the same events were 35.40, 47.14, 76 and 81 respectively. for Kohli they were 58.67, 50.83, 129 and 55.38.
Any way you look at it, these are superlative numbers, both in terms of sheer scoring ability as well as consistency.
Dhawan is a crafty operator who plays around with the bowlers, out-thinking them by boldly moving around the crease and maneuvering the field. Sharma kills with his silken touch before unleashing the booming hits in the arc from mid-on to squareleg or straight down the ground. Kohli gets you with scintillating drives, inside out hits over the infield and powerful pull shots. What also makes them click together is the fact that when Dhawan bats long, it makes for a classic left-right combination.
Who can forget the 2015-16 ODI series in Australia when the trio wooed the local crowd like few have—kohli averaged 76.20, Dhawan 57.40 and Sharma 110.25. In the five ODIS, there was a combined tally of five hundreds and six half-centuries from their blades.
It’s a measure of their quality and longevity that even in their mid-thirties, they remain central to the team’s plans for the 50 overs format. Sharma has risen to be the captain of the side, Kohli remains the premier batter in the format. The third member of the tribe, Dhawan was under some pressure though, after being left out of last year’s T20 World Cup squad.
It was not for form or fitness. In T20, IPL remains the main platform for selection—dhawan scored 500-plus runs in each of his last three seasons. He was not picked because the then captain Kohli decided to shelve the conservative formula of the toporder looking to build the innings, wanting to adopt instead the high-risk, high-reward style of England. The plan backfired badly at the tournament in UAE.
That the left-hander has been picked for the one-day series against South Africa, which starts from Wednesday, means the selectors feel the three can still recreate their magic together. While the next big event is the T20 World Cup in Australia, in terms of India’s cricket calendar there’s going to be no bigger event than the 2023 50-over World Cup, because it’s being played at home. It adds to the relevance of the upcoming ODI series against South Africa. Dhawan won’t be short of motivation to make his mark.
Dhawan’s record in South Africa is impressive. The conditions hold no fear for the southpaw. In the last series there in 2017-18, he averaged 64.60 with a sequence of 35, 51*, 76, 109, 34 and 18 in the six ODIS to play a starring role in India’s 5-1 win.
While he found himself out of favour in the Kohli regime, the change in leadership might give his career a new lease of life. No one knows the value he brings to the side better than Sharma.
They have the most successful opening partnership going with 5000-plus runs together, a combination that came to life at the 2013 Champions Trophy.
His record and performance in South Africa the last time around are also an indicator of Dhawan’s pattern of play. When he runs into form, he just rattles up a series of scores.
At the 2019 World Cup, Dhawan played only two games, picking up an injury while scoring a fine 117 vs Australia. In that game, Sharma made 57 in a stand of 127 with Dhawan, Kohli came in and scored 82 in a total of 352 for five.
Such has been their consistency that the middle-order was never really tested. As a consequence, when it came to the No 4 spot at the 2019 World Cup, India struggled for options. But in the run-up to the 50 overs tournament, the competition for places is much stronger. India is spoilt for choices now. India now have KL Rahul, who is captaining the side in South Africa, Ruturaj Gaikwad and Rishabh Pant. When Sharma returns, this should be India’s top six.
Rahul Dravid & Co have a tough choice to make in who bats where. Their immediate headache is to select the opening combination: Gaikwad is ready for international cricket, on the other hand, a left-hand batter in the top order is priceless for team combination.
If a player is in form and is fit, then there’s no substitute for experience. Dhawan knows exactly how to play the situation, handle the pressure. It is in these two aspects that India were found wanting at the T20 World Cup.