He has not spoken to any selector
Veteran opener Shikhar Dhawan opened up about his Team India snub. Dhawan last played for India in 2022.
Veteran Indian opener Shikhar Dhawan admitted that he was ‘shocked’ at being deemed surplus to requirements for the Asian Games in Hangzhou. The senior batter was overlooked by selectors when India named opener Ruturaj Gaikwad as the captain of the second-string side for the Hangzhou Games last year. Dhawan’s Team India days were already behind the senior batter when his name went missing from the Asian Games squad.
Dhawan even captained India in the absence of Rohit Sharma for a couple of white-ball series. The senior batter remained the leader of the Asian giants in 12 One Day Internationals (ODIs) from 2021-2022. The 38-year-old also led India in three T20Is in the 2021 season. Following the arrival of young openers Ishan Kishan and Shubman Gill, Dhawan was released from the Indian squad in less than three months after captaining the second-string India side. Following a forgetful Bangladesh tour, Dhawan was dropped from the ODI squad for the Sri Lanka series in 2022. His batting average was reduced to 34.40 and the batter had a strike rate of 74.21 in 2022.
‘I was a bit shocked’
Dhawan opened up about his exit from the national team. Dhawan said that he is not in talks with any selector following his omission. However, the senior batter continues to work on his game at the National Cricket Academy (NCA). “When my name was not there (for Asian Games), I was a bit shocked. But, then, I was like they have a different thought process, you just have to accept it. I have not spoken to any selector (about my future). I keep going to NCA. I enjoy my time there. The facilities are great. NCA has shaped my career, and I am grateful for it,” Dhawan said.
‘When I was given the Arjuna Award’
Dhawan also revealed that winning the Arjuna Award was the ‘best moment’ of his cricket career. The Indian southpaw was conferred with the Arjuna Award back in 2021. “I think, when I was given the Arjuna Award, that moment is my best moment related to my cricketing career. It is a great honour for me to receive the Arjuna Award, and I still thank everyone for being with me throughout his journey, including my coaches, medical staff, support staff, the BCCI, my teammates, family and friends,” Dhawan added.
In a surprising turn of events, Shikhar Dhawan, the seasoned Indian cricketer, has found himself on the outside looking in, expressing his disappointment after what he described as a painful snub from the Team India selectors. What makes the situation more intriguing is Dhawan’s revelation that he hasn’t had any communication with the selectors regarding the decision.
Shikhar Dhawan, known for his explosive batting at the top of the order, has been a consistent performer for India in limited-overs cricket over the years. However, as the dynamics of the team evolve and younger talents emerge, the competition for spots has become intense. Dhawan, who has been a regular in the white-ball formats, found himself excluded from the squad without any prior discussion, leaving him disheartened.
Expressing his disappointment, Dhawan mentioned that not being in the loop about the decision was particularly painful. Communication is key in any professional setup, and the absence of a conversation with the selectors has left the seasoned opener with unanswered questions. It raises concerns not just about the decision itself but also about the transparency and communication within the selection process.
The omission comes at a time when Shikhar Dhawan has been part of various successful campaigns for India, contributing significantly to the team’s triumphs. His exclusion prompts discussions about the criteria for selection, the balance between experience and youth, and the communication protocols between players and selectors.
Dhawan’s statement also sheds light on the emotional aspect of being left out. For a player who has donned the Indian jersey with pride and delivered memorable performances, being overlooked can be a tough pill to swallow. It emphasizes the human side of professional sports, where athletes invest not just their skills but also their emotions in representing their country.
The incident has sparked conversations within the cricketing community and among fans about the selection process and the need for clarity in such decisions. While tough choices are inevitable in the world of sports, effective communication becomes paramount to ensure that players understand the rationale behind the decisions made by the selectors.
As Shikhar Dhawan navigates this phase of disappointment, the cricketing fraternity awaits further developments. Whether there will be clarifications from the selectors or if this marks a turning point in Dhawan’s international career remains uncertain. What is evident, however, is that the veteran opener’s exclusion has added a layer of complexity to the ongoing discussions about the future direction of Team India.
