“Was Leading Indian Team”: With Big Shubman Gill Remark, Shikhar Dhawan Opens Up On Team India Exile | Cricket News

One of the most consistent players for India in white-ball cricket, Shikhar Dhawan finds himself on the sidelines, with younger players being preferred by the selectors in the national team. It isn’t long ago that Dhawan led the Indian team on a tour of Sri Lanka. But now, he is struggling to even be a part of the squad in any of the three formats. In an interview, Dhawan opened up on his exile while also holding some words of appreciation for the man who eventually replaced him, Shubman Gill.

When it comes to white-ball cricket, Dhawan remains one of the finest openers for India. His record in ICC events speaks volumes about the roster he has built over the years. But, the likes of Shubman Gill, KL Rahul, Rohit Sharma, and Ishan Kishan are presently vying for the opening spots in T20Is and ODIs.

In an interview with Ranveer Allahbadia for the latter’s YouTube channel, Dhawan opened up on his exile.

“I’m not in the team. I was playing earlier, I was leading the Indian team. Now, I’m not there, I was dropped. Shubman is doing very good, and I had poor performances in 1 or 2 series, and I was dropped. But I can’t sit on it and be sad. But I don’t think about that. I’m like, ‘Whatever god has planned for me, it’s for my good’. So, I don’t feel bad about that,” Dhawan said.

“You can be no.1 in your field, and still be insecure. So, what’s the point of being that no.1 tag,” the opening batter quipped.

The southpaw also spoke about his record in ICC events, suggesting the level of cricket in such events is much better than in bilateral assignments.

“My record in ICC tournaments is quite good. There is no change in commitment level in such competitions. My process has always remained the same. I feel that the wickets are much better in ICC tournaments.

“They are played at natural venues, and there are true wickets. Whereas in bilaterals, there are times when you don’t get true wickets,” he said.

Dhawan famously led the Punjab Kings side to a brilliant victory over Rajasthan Royals in the Indian Premier League (IPL) recently. He would hope to win over the selectors with a consistent show in the T20 league.