Shikhar Dhawan raring to make an international return
Indian opener Shikhar Dhawan said he continued with his training drills even during the nationwide lockdown. He believes the lockdown came at the right time for Team India as the Men in Blue were playing constantly. Meanwhile, the southpaw, who was ruled out of the New Zealand tour due to injury, is raring to make a return. Here is more.
I have been training at home: Shikhar Dhawan
"The break was a welcoming one for me. I have been training, I have been doing gym and yoga, I have started batting now as well so I am totally fit and strong, I am in a good mindset as well," Dhawan told ANI.
A shoulder injury ruled Dhawan out of New Zealand series
Shikhar Dhawan last represented India in the Australia ODI series, earlier this year. He scored 74 and 96 in the two ODIs before a shoulder injury ruled him out of the final match. As a result, he missed the entire limited-overs leg of New Zealand. His injury made way for Prithvi Shaw and KL Rahul in the ODI and T20I series respectively.
Recent form in international cricket
Dhawan's batting form has plunged in the last few years. He hasn't featured in the whites since the forgettable 2018 England tour. Besides, his ODI form also took a toll last year as he scored 753 runs from 21 matches at 41.83. Moreover, his only two centuries came against Australia in the ODI series and 2019 World Cup respectively.
Players still waiting for a go-ahead
There have been several speculations that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is planning to resume training camp for players. However, no date has been finalized as yet. "The BCCI and government must be talking to each other, whatever BCCI decides, we will follow that, the safety of every player is of the utmost importance," Dhawan added.
What lies ahead for Dhawan?
Making a national comeback will not be an easy task for Dhawan. However, the prolonged break would have pushed him to start afresh. His immediate challenge would be to get some runs in order to win the trust of selectors. It will be interesting to see if the selectors consider him for T20Is, with KL Rahul and Rohit Sharma doing well at the top.
