India may have witnessed a whitewash in the three-match ODI series in South Africa, but there were some positive takeaways from the loss. In the third ODI, Prasidh Krishna claimed 3/59, while Suryakumar Yadav played an entertaining inning of 39 off 32 balls. Deepak Chahar on the other hand almost took Team India over the line the star of the show, first picking up two wickets and then peeling off the second half-century of his ODI career, which got India closer to the finishing line.
Overall, the South Africa ODIs marked a comeback into the team for two experienced cricketers, Ravichandran Ashwin and Shikhar Dhawan. While Ashwin failed to do much with the ball, Dhawan scored a couple of half-centuries to give India decent starts during the chases. Dhawan registered scores of 79, 29, and 61 even as most of his teammates couldn’t do much except KL Rahul and Virat Kohli.
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Impressed with Dhawan’s comeback, former India spinner Harbhajan Singh reckons that the southpaw did what was expected of him. With India’s focus being the 2023 World Cup, as the management continues to fine-tune their opening pair, based on current form, there is still no better option than Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan to open together again, get innings off in style for India.
During a recent chat on Sports Tak, Harbhajan Singh said, “I was very happy when Shikhar Dhawan made a comeback. He is a dedicated player and I want to ask who is that yoaung player who is playing superior that Dhawan? I am so happy to see him back. The moment he came back, he’s hit a couple of fifties. India may have lost the three ODIs but he has done his job.”
While Dhawan’s age might be a concern, Harbhajan Singh feels it should not be criterion as long as the batter’s fitness levels and performances are up to the mark.
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Elaborating the same, Harbhajan Singh said, “I don’t understand that some people’s age is considered while others’ isn’t. There are players who have also played a World Cup at 38, 39 and 40. And at 36, Dhawan is fitter and as young as a 23-year-old Ishan Kishan. His fitness is brilliant. And at 36, if you say he shouldn’t make a comeback, I would say that will be unfair. He has shown that he still has plenty left.”
