Published: Jun 26, 2015, 10:38 AM (IST)
Edited: Jun 26, 2015, 11:25 AM (IST)
Indian opener Shikhar Dhawan’s batting was a big plus for India in the recently concluded tour of Bangladesh, which was an embarrassing one for the visitors. Dhawan, who struck a hundred in the Test, also scored a total of 158 runs in the three One-Day Internationals.
In an interview with BCCI’s official website, the southpaw hailed captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s move to no.4 as a “very good move” and said it gave him a lot of confidence to bat alongside the captain. Dhawan scored a strokeful 75 from 73 balls, which played a part in India’s win in the final ODI.
“It gives me a lot of confidence to see him walk into the middle while I am at the crease. We also enjoy each other’s company and so it’s fun batting with him. The way he adapts to various situations makes my life easier,” said Dhawan in the interview.
Elaborating it further, the 29-year-old further added, “Today I couldn’t get the off-spinner [Nasir Hossain] away and he hit a four and a six in an over against him. That kept me from taking any unwarranted risk. He also rotates the strike excellently when required and doesn’t let any scoreboard pressure build on his partner. Having him in the middle-order is very advantageous for us. I feel it’s a very good move.”
Dhoni has made it clear that he now intends to bat higher in the order. In the last two ODIs in Bangladesh, he registered scores of 47 and 69. Early in his career, Dhoni batted higher in the order and made match-winning contributions and there is no reason why he can’t repeat the same.
