Go Back To Shikhar Dhawan Or Groom Ishan Kishan? R Ashwin On Opening Dilemma In ODIs

After completing clean sweeps against Sri Lanka and New Zealand in the recently concluded ODI format, Team India has started its preparations for the upcoming ODI World Cup on a promising note. The Rohit Sharma-led side has found new openers in the form of Ishan Kishan and Shubman Gill, who brought up their maiden ODI double hundreds against Bangladesh and New Zealand, respectively. However, their sudden rise has blocked the way for veteran India opener Shikhar Dhawan, whose inclusion into the team for the marquee event is now doubtful.

Dhawan led Team India in the ODI series against Bangladesh, where the visitors lost 2-1 in the three-match series. Despite ending up on the losing side, Ishan became the highlight of the series after he smashed his maiden ODI double ton in the third match. The series was a forgetful one for Dhawan as he only scored 18 runs in three matches, resulting in him getting excluded from the team for the ODIs against Sri Lanka and New Zealand.

However, India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin came in support of Dhawan and called him a “stalwart of white-ball cricket.”

“Only when the Top 3 failed, we had problems in the past. Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli. We talk a lot about Rohit and Kohli, but Dhawan is a stalwart. He was silently doing his job. Will his place be a big void to fill for Team India?,” Ashwin said on his YouTube channel.

“Should we go back to Shikhar Dhawan, or should we groom Ishan Kishan, who has just scored a double hundred? Instead of backing a player on the basis of one huge score, we should see what the team requires. Which character will deliver under pressure? Which character will serve us for a long time?,” he added.