Shikhar Dhawan proves his resilience & resourcefulness… but once more

Shikhar Dhawan, along with his exuberant disposition, infuses the staff with a sudden lightness. If there certainly hung a heavy air of tenseness across the staff, with off-field developments stewing within the background, Dhawan’s presence offered the proper antidote. There was the standard broad smile and laughter, jokes and banter flying spherical, as he and Virat Kohli breezed by means of their partnership — instantly it felt like the nice previous instances once more — and there was a way of India having fun with their cricket once more. If he had transformed his 79 into 100, he might have pulled out the moustache-twirls and thigh-slaps too.
Dhawan got here again as if he had by no means been away; as if he had all the time been there, like an invisible shadow. And not somebody who’s, as of late, diminished to sporadic appearances, like resourceful however bit-part actors.

The final time he turned up for his nation was in August, throughout a bilateral sequence in Sri Lanka, skippering the younger staff within the absence of most seniors, however with as a lot depth and earnestness as he exhibits in any given match. In a yr the priorities of Team India fluctuated between the T20 World Cup and Test sequence, Dhawan, just like the format of the sport he’s thought of for as of late, was a forgotten determine. India performed simply six ODIs, Dhawan featured in all of them, and scored fairly closely to finish the yr as India’s highest run-getter. But who remembers? His profession could possibly be a metaphor of ODI’s decadent glory.

FIFTY!
A fast hearth half-century for @SDhawan25 within the 1st ODI.
His thirty fourth total 👏👏
Live – https://t.co/PJ4gV99ISb #SAvIND pic.twitter.com/SyPP5HGA7l
— BCCI (@BCCI) January 19, 2022
But he barely betrayed indicators of somebody who has not performed worldwide cricket for some time. He fitted in easily — the throws from the deep had been as correct as ever earlier than, the vitality on the sphere was infectious, and he batted with the composure and fluency of somebody who had by no means been away from the sport. There was no signal of rustiness or nervousness, of rage or rancour in somebody who has not been celebrated as a lot as he ought to have been.

Fifty for Shikhar Dhawan; 50 off 51 balls – Gabbar is again. #SAvIND
pic.twitter.com/KC70knrC4O
— Karamdeep (@oyeekd) January 19, 2022
On a hideously sluggish floor, on which nearly each Indian batsman and most South Africans struggled, Dhawan batted like a dream, in his characteristically unhurried and uncomplicated method. Nothing troubled him — aside from an edged boundary off Marco Jansen within the early exchanges and the misjudgement off Keshav Maharaj that ended his knock — neither the shortage of tempo nor the shortage of observe. On a troublesome floor to drive, Dhawan drove regally, the entrance foot striding out emphatically, and flicked nonchalantly at any time when the bowlers strayed onto his physique.
The slowness of the observe helped his horizontal bat pictures; he needn’t fear about getting hustled. Gangly left-armer Jansen was majestically pulled, earlier than he was reduce with the ruthless finesse of a swordsman. Dhawan unsettled the spinners by sweeping, stepping out and reducing them, all of the whereas knocking them round for singles and twos.
Striving to get higher
Indian batsman Shikhar Dhawan in motion in the course of the first ODI match between South Africa and India in Paarl, SouthAfrica, Wednesday, Jan. 19, 2022. (AP Photo/Halden Krog)
If there had been accusations up to now that he soaks too many dot balls, Dhawan has massively improved, and is as a lot a grasp within the artwork of tip-and-run singles as Kohli. Like the previous India captain, he has nuanced the craft of ODI batsmanship. His stats are golden — 6,105 runs at a median of 45 and strike price of 93, and runs coming all over the place and in huge tournaments too. Had he lived in a extra glamorous period of ODIs, he would have been bestowed superstardom, like Kohli, Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul.

But beneath the nice and cozy smile and vivid laughter runs a tragic streak. Dhawan had his flaws in Test cricket, however labored round them insanely to attain powerful runs. He opened in a number of the most capricious situations overseas, however was not afforded a longish run. He is sort of fully out of the race in Test cricket, however in eight innings earlier than his final, he had scored 100. Eight failures in England in 2018 – he bought begins in 4 – he was dumped. He is a retooled T20 cricketer, and scores his runs at a quicker clip than earlier than, however was neglected for the T20 World Cup. He was Delhi Capitals’ highest run-getter within the final two editions of the Indian Premier League, but was not retained earlier than subsequent month’s mega shuffle.

Circumstances might conspire towards him in ODIs too. When Rohit, the designated ODI captain, returns, Dhawan’s slot can be unsure. Now that Rahul is vice-captain, it’s unlikely that he can be pushed down the order. Kohli has locked the No. 3 spot, and vacancies are drying up within the center order. Anyway, at this stage of his profession, the sundown quick approaching, it will be too late for the left-hander to spin his recreation to swimsuit the center order. Such a destiny can be merciless on one of the crucial exceptional ODI gamers of his technology. But Dhawan is not any stranger to setbacks and misfortunes that swim beneath his heat smile and vivid laughter.