T20 World Cup: Shikhar Dhawan is just considered in the ODI format. He is ignored by the selectors when it comes to T20 and Test cricket. But the former India batter Mohammad Kaif has questioned about the southpaw’s repeated exclusion from the Indian team in the shorter format. Kaif has pointed to his IPL record, suggesting he is a quality T20 player too. Follow T20 World Cup 2022 live updates with InsideSport.IN
Dhawan, who is part of the Indian ODI squad in Zimbabwe, has been ignored for more than a year in T20 cricket by the selectors. He last played in July 2021 against Sri Lanka.
However, if one looks at the IPL record, he is one of the most consistent players in the league. He has amassed more than 350 runs in the last seven editions of IPL, which just makes one wonder why the southpaw has been ignore. It is important to note that most of the players get into the Indian team, based on their IPL show.
Kaif is very clear about his opinion. He said that Dhawan can still play in the T20 format and his IPL record is testament. Overall, he has scored 6244 runs in 206 matches, which is impressive.
“They (coaches, selectors and team management) know (who can be a multi-format player and who can’t), but they can’t be really sure about the decisions they make. Talk about Shikhar Dhawan. If you are telling me Shikhar Dhawan can’t play T20Is – you can’t say that. In the IPL he has got 6000 IPL runs (6244 runs) and are you telling me he is not good for T20Is for India? No. There are so many players, so many options, so that doesn’t mean that they (selectors, coaches etc.) are making the right call all the time,” Kaif told on Times of India podcast.
Shikhar Dhawan is a character. 😂 pic.twitter.com/zFjYF4CYO5
— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) July 22, 2022
“I feel that Shikhar Dhawan is a good player in white ball cricket. We have been seeing him in the IPL – every year he gets 500, 600 runs for the franchise (he plays for). So you cannot always be sure as a selector.”
Why are the selectors ignoring him? However, the selectors might have various reasons for the snub. There is strong competition in the top order, and especially at the opener’s slot. One of the other main reasons could be his brand of cricket.
The player is not someone who goes on the attack from ball one. The current bunch play an aggressive brand of cricket. The management is also looking at fresher legs and prepare for the future rather than have someone at 37 in T20 cricket.
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