Listen carefully to Shikhar Dhawan and you can hear echoes of Virender Sehwag. “I am a stroke player.” “I am going to play my shots.” “I will back my strengths.” Dhawan comments were made at an event in Mumbai yesterday as the new brand ambassador for Fashion @ Big Bazaar, but most of the questions directed his way were naturally about India’s upcoming tour of South Africa. His answers made it clear that confidence was not something he, or the team, is lacking, as they contemplate facing Dale Steyn and company on their home turf.
Given Dhawan’s spectacular 2013, that is not altogether surprising. He has scored 1,150 runs with five hundreds at an average of 54.76 and a strike-rate of 98.12. In successful chases, Dhawan averages 64.60 with a strike-rate of 98.62.
While his stroke-play does not resemble Sehwag’s, both men share a common attitude. They like to attack; they like to play strokes on both sides of the wicket; they can transform good deliveries into bad.
The speed at which both men score their runs has also allowed India to win matches that otherwise would have been out of reach. When India chased down 360 and 351 against Australia in the recent home one-day series, it was Dhawan who made 95 and 100 out of the gate to give Virat Kohli and company the platform they needed to complete the job. Dhawan’s scoring-rate also takes the pressure off Rohit Sharma, who can then build his innings in a more measured way, which is how Rohit prefers to bat.
Together, Dhawan, Rohit and Kohli have given India arguably the best top three in ODI cricket today. All three have scored over 1000 runs this year with averages over 50, resulting in some record-breaking performances.
“We have been playing good cricket,” Dhawan said. “We are confident. As a team we are gelling well.”
The big hurdle for Indian batsmen travelling to Australia and South Africa has always been combatting bounce. Opposing fast bowlers know this and so their pitch map tends to bunch up short of a length. Dhawan, on the contrary, likes to drive on the up and is happy to cut and pull.
“I think bouncy tracks suit my game,” he said simply.
Being part of the India A tour of South Africa earlier this year has also helped Dhawan. Not only does he have a sense of the conditions he might face, he has the knowledge that he can score big runs. Against South Africa A in the limited-overs tournament that also featured Australia A, Dhawan plundered 248, which is a record for a List A game. In four matches, he made 410 runs as India won the tournament.
“I played there for India A. I did really well,” he said matter-of-factly.
South Africa just lost an ODI series at home to Pakistan for the first time in their history. India might be light on experience but this young team has won six limited-overs series on the trot and is bursting with confidence. As a result they are unafraid of facing anybody, anywhere in the world.
“We’re up for it against South Africa,” Dhawan said.
