There’s an undeniable allure about certain players in a sport that make us keep returning to them, and Shikhar Dhawan is certainly one of those. Although he hasn’t played T20I cricket since 2021, with several younger contenders such as Shubman Gill rising, Dhawan showed against all odds why he’s still a force to be reckoned with, delivering a powerful performance in front of a passionate Hyderabad crowd.
Even though the Punjab Kings lost the match, Shikhar Dhawan, as often is the case when the stakes are high, performed to the best of his abilities. His innings not only brought PBKS up from 88-9 to 143-9 but also proved to India fans that if given a chance, Dhawan still has what it takes to represent the nation and contribute to a victory.
Dhawan has been in great touch in IPL 2023
The left-handed batter has been sensational this season of the IPL, showcased brilliantly by his performance in the first game of PBKS’ campaign. Despite opting to spend most of his time anchoring the innings, Dhawan’s ability to absorb pressure laid the foundations for others to follow. Against the Rajasthan Royals, Dhawan remained unbeaten on 86 despite playing the entire 20 overs – a feat which may have cost PBKS against other opponents. His performance against the Sunrisers Hyderabad was surely his best yet, and arguably his best in the IPL. Spectators were treated to a masterclass as Dhawan handled the pressure calmly, expertly farming the strike, engaging the bowlers and taking them down with conviction.
Shikhar Dhawan is renowned for his stellar performances in the high-pressure environments of international cricket. With a career ODI World Cup batting average of 53.7, an average of 59.33 in the Asia Cup, and an astounding 77.88 in the ICC Champions Trophy, it’s no wonder he was India’s leading run-scorer at both the 2013 and 2017 tournaments. His talent was further proven at the 2019 ODI World Cup when he scored a hundred against Australia before being forced to leave the tournament due to injury. In short, whenever the big moments arise, Dhawan is ready to answer the call.
His presence brings a strong sense of confidence to any group he is a part of. Had you seen him bat on Sunday in the game against SRH, there would have been no indication that his team was in a tight spot. He maintained a cheerful attitude, and although he was aware of the situation’s severity, he never let it reflect.
India has faced a few difficult knockout games in recent years, such as the 2019 World Cup semi-final, the 2022 T20 World Cup semi-final, and the twin games against New Zealand and Pakistan in the 2021 T20 World Cup. These instances had one main thing in common – the absence of Dhawan’s services. Even though India knew that was the case, they probably still wished he was around to bring that extra belief to the side and reduce cricket to its core principles – watch the ball and play the ball.
