Team India opener Shikhar Dhawan has said that he is not bothered by the criticism that he faces after failing to score. The veteran left-hander also stated that he wouldn’t have been where he is today if he paid attention to them. However, he will lead the Indian team during the three-match ODI series against the West Indies, which starts on Friday (July 22).
Dhawan had a poor ODI series in England earlier this month, registering scores of 31*,9 and 1 only. However, he has been a great performer in the ODI format, scoring over 6000 runs and averaging over 45 after 152 matches as well.
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At a press conference ahead of the first ODI against the Windies, he was asked if he ever gets affected by “unfair” criticism. Dhawan responded: “I don’t feel strange. Have been hearing it for 10 years now. They keep saying, I keep playing. It doesn’t matter to me. If it did, I wouldn’t have been here today. Everyone has their own opinions, but I know my job and what I need to do. I have been doing this for so many years. I don’t take a lot of tension after a couple of failures. I self-analyze and look to improve. That’s what matters to me.”
Before the England ODIs, he was impressive during the ODI series in South Africa, where he scored 169 runs in three games, including two half-centuries. Meanwhile, regular captain Rohit Sharma and seniors like Virat Kohli, Jasprit Bumrah and Hardik Pandya have been rested for the ODIs against West Indies as well.
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“I am very excited. When I get a chance to work with youngsters, I feel I can share my experience with them, especially the mental aspect as to how one can grow. I always love to share it and bring an impact in their game. Pressure is always there in international cricket. But the pressure will not change my personality or my style of play. I have a lot of self-belief in myself and in my team as well. We will go in with the will to win at any cost,” Shikhar Dhawan concluded.
