The new selection committee, which is anticipated to be constituted shortly, will likely examine Shikhar Dhawan’s future in one-day internationals, and a difficult choice won’t be surprising after Ishan Kishan emerged as a strong possibility with his spectacular double hundred.
Dhawan’s performance has been poor in eight of his past nine One-Day Internationals. It didn’t help matters that the Delhi left-hander batted in an antiquated fashion that cost his side runs in the Powerplay. It’s not necessarily a matter of bad intentions, but rather of being unable to make up ground with a restricted toolkit of strokes. In today’s T20s, a Shubman Gill or a Kishan would be more valuable for their inventiveness.
No specific date has been set, but the BCCI has promised to meet with Dravid and NCA chairman VVS Laxman to examine the team’s performance and discuss the path forward.
During the Twenty20 World Cup in Australia, PTI claimed that a source indicated that the phasing out of the older players will begin the next year. Dhawan’s strike rate has dropped precipitously from above 100 till the 2019 World Cup to a pitiful 75 in 2022, and this has been his biggest issue.
Certainly, the team management will give serious thought to the delicate selection concerns after Ishan Kishan scored a double hundred, and more crucially, the new perspective he has given to the game.
It’s difficult to write off a guy who has played in 167 ODIs and is third on India’s all-time list in terms of runs scored, behind only Rohit and Virat Kohli.
Some have argued that Dhawan should play in the last six ODIs of January against Sri Lanka and New Zealand before making a decision ahead of the ODIs against Australia at the end of March.
The counterargument, though, is what will happen in January when Shubman Gill, one of the most reliable ODI batters in the previous six months, returns to the ODI lineup.
Twitter Reacts:
And why the hell is this being announced to the public like this?
AdvertisementWhere is the decency to have the conversation with the player & give them a chance to announce first if it is the hard decision?
Such statements are nothing but disrespect only IMHO.#CricketTwitter https://t.co/F0oexG0YUt
Advertisement— Mritunjay Dubey (@mddubey409) December 11, 2022
When will this committee be formed…???
Why r these important decisions & discussion being dragged….?? @BCCI https://t.co/X2OEI0OC7N
Advertisement— A_Verma 🔗 (@A_Verma05187) December 11, 2022
Well in any case, I have nothing but respect for shikhi paaji. His contribution from 2013 had been immense. It would not be wrong to say he is easily in top 5 best odi batsman in the world since 2013. https://t.co/Y6ikkI6ztW
— Square Drive (@SQD05) December 11, 2022
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He is very unlucky but as of now he should be sacked https://t.co/CBuo0gxqGd
Advertisement— Thomas Shelby 🇭🇷🇭🇷 (@LannisterTwits) December 11, 2022
Don't hold him like csk hold their experience veterans in the end it only cost team 🤞🤞 as it give some success but in long term it will not help team https://t.co/oJIYq8kmBV
— CRIC YUVI (@cricyuvi) December 11, 2022
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Id you can back Pant when he had no previous performances then Dhawan has earned his backing. Back him till the WC, if he fails to perform then drop him from the World Cup Squad with a proper farewell https://t.co/mn9ECh5vcG
Advertisement— SED KKR FAN (@KirketXpertt) December 11, 2022
SHIKHAR DHAWAN ko bahar nikalna solution nai hai https://t.co/kEsynr3d7V
— Priyanshu Gupta (@cricwithprynshu) December 11, 2022
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Looks like End of Dhawan international cricket career 😐 https://t.co/3L1wlRhV9H
Advertisement— VK45🇮🇳 (@sportslovervk45) December 11, 2022