Shikhar Dhawan, once a leading figure in Team India, has opened up about losing his spot in the national cricket team and his appreciation for rising star Shubman Gill. Dhawan shared his thoughts during a candid chat with YouTuber Ranveer Allahbadia, expressing his belief that Gill has earned his place in Team India.
Dhawan, who experienced a series of inconsistent performances last year, was part of the Indian ODI team during the Bangladesh series in December 2022. However, after registering scores of 7, 8, and 3 in three ODIs, he was eventually dropped from the side. Shubman Gill took Dhawan’s place in the ODI team and made a powerful statement by scoring a double century against New Zealand in January.
Discussing his departure from the national team, Dhawan revealed that he doesn’t feel bad about it. “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 1-2 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’s the god has planned for me, it’s for my good’. So, I don’t feel bad about that,” he said.
Dhawan also touched on the idea of insecurity in professional sports, stating, “You can be no.1 in your field, and still be insecure. So, what’s the point of being that no.1 tag?”
Currently, Dhawan is part of the Punjab Kings, where he is leading the franchise. On April 5, 2023, he played a remarkable innings for his team, remaining unbeaten on 86 and guiding the Kings to a solid score of 197/4 in 20 overs. The Punjab Kings secured a five-run win against the Rajasthan Royals, marking their second consecutive victory this season.
Dhawan will be back in action on April 9, when the Punjab Kings face off against the Sunrisers Hyderabad in Hyderabad.