India opener Shikhar Dhawan might have missed the recently concluded One-day International (ODI) series against Australia due to some health issues that his wife Ayesha Dhawan was facing but now the left-hander can’t wait to get back on the field after being included in the squad for the three-match T20I series against the Aussies.
With Virat Kohli & Co. looking primed to continue its domination in the coming days, Shikhar feels the team is at the top because of the fine blend of experience and youth. Bench strength is another factor that he feels has contributed to India’s rise.
“The reason we are No.1 is because we have got good matured players in the side and the youngsters also are very confident. I believe sharing the dressing room with established players in the IPL has helped them gain confidence,” Dhawan told NDTV.
“The bench strength is also the reason that the Indian team is so good now. We have a very healthy competition in the side. Every player knows if he doesn’t perform there is other batsman who is as good as him, so that’s a very good sign and that keeps everyone on their toes. And I think our domestic structure is so good that we are producing such good players,” he added.
The left-hander was dropped from the side across formats following his poor form last year. He explained that he trained hard after that and became fit in order to regain the top slot in the team.
“It was a hard time for me because I was giving my best but things were not going my way. When I was dropped from the Test and T20 team, of course I felt bad but I knew that I hadn’t performed that well that’s why I got dropped. “But, I kept my process going. I increased my training and skill work and made myself more fit. During that time also, I wanted to be happy and enjoyed playing Ranji Trophy for Delhi. By the grace of God, things fell back in place again and I got a call for the Champions Trophy after some good domestic performances in Deodhar trophy and the Indian Premier League,” Dhawan concluded.
