These are good times for Shikhar Dhawan, the self-made cricketer whose timing and elegance make him an attractive batsman to watch on the field. He sets the tempo for himself — researching his opponents, formulating multiple game plans and leashing in (or letting loose) his aggression on the pitch depending on the game. And it has always been to the team’s benefit. Hiccups, like when he lost his place to opener KL Rahul last year, against Australia in the home series, are also faced with equanimity. He re-established himself in the top order, after getting picked for the subsequent tour to Sri Lanka when the opener was injured, with a comeback knock of 190. Since then he has been calling the shots, as we saw in the innings against Sri Lanka in the Nidahas T20 tri-series the other night. A couple of days ago, the BCCI acknowledged his talent, boosting the 32-year-old into its newly-introduced Grade A+ contract system, getting him a 1,300% compensation hike in the bargain.
Dhawan has never backed down from a challenge, even during his initial days in the Delhi team, when he fielded at short leg. It is a difficult position in cricket: demanding and prone to injury. “There is little reaction time,” Dhawan says, of the position (crouching near the batsman’s pads) that newcomers are often bullied into. But he was never pressured into it; he was always game. Lurking near the batsman, disturbing his concentration — often with dialogues from Sholay, one of the reasons he got the moniker Gabbar — comes naturally to him. He even grew a moustache to give a fillip to his ‘tough man’ image. “A lip-injury prevented me from shaving and I liked the moustache. My fans liked it when I gave it a twirl. So it stayed,” he says matter-of-factly.
Late start
Close friends and team members at Feroz Shah Kotla describe Dhawan as an enigma. What you see on television is not what you get in person — he is someone who greets you with a firm handshake, welcomes you home with a warm smile, and rushes to hug friends in a crowd. Indian speedster, Ashish Nehra, who has seen the player since his early days at Delhi’s Sonnet Club, says the best description for him is shikhar befiqar (unperturbed). “Have you ever seen him under pressure? I have not. It is not easy to tackle international challenges with such attitude. If you talk to Shikhar, the toughest of cricket is nothing but a minor obstacle,” says Nehra.
- Teams: Delhi, India, Sunrisers Hyderabad
- Tests: 29,2046 runs and six centuries; ODIS: 102,4361 runs and 13 centuries
- Dhawan made an impression by slamming the fastest Test century by a débutant. He aggregated 505 runs in the under-19 World Cup to make a huge impact even though he had to wait for his turn to play for the India senior team. Dropped twice from the team, he staged strong comebacks and has come to establish himself as an attractive strokeplayer, with a penchant to take the initiative and guide his partners. He is seen as a critical member of the team for the World Cup next year.
Dhawan seconds this. “You gain nothing if you sulk. I have never lost sleep worrying over what would happen. What has to happen will happen and I don’t punish myself needlessly. As it is, life comes with a number of problems and challenges. Why add to them? My philosophy is simple: embrace the tough times and grow,” he says.
The left-hand batsman started playing cricket early, but made his début for India late. It took him six years of the domestic grind before he earned the India cap in 2010. Though he failed to grab the opportunity (he was dropped after scoring a zero against Australia in the 2010 ODI and scores of 51, 3, 4 and 11 in the ODI series against West Indies in 2011), he later made a sensational début against Australia in 2013 at Mohali, with a century as good as any you have seen on the cricket field.
“I was just Shikhar Dhawan until my Test début,” he says. Then fans and the media began eyeing him differently. His love for bikes — he once drove his Suzuki Hayabusa to a match at Kotla — music, tattoos and different hairstyles became a matter of public interest, and he was analysed threadbare by those who did not know him. “It was funny; sometimes I learnt new things about myself from people!” he laughs. His mentor, Tarak Sinha, the cricket coach who runs the Sonnet Cricket Club, credits Dhawan’s success to “hard work and discipline”.
Looking to Arjuna
The father of three — he is married to Ayesha Mukherji, who lives in Melbourne with their son Zoravar (4), and daughters from a previous marriage, Rhea (12) and Aliyah (17) — is multi-faceted. Though a private person, he loves joining his friends for a late-night party. A champion on the dance floor, he is also at ease with country, rock and pop music. “I love classical music,” he confesses, adding he has a huge collection in his library at home, both in Delhi and Melbourne.
He flies to Australia whenever he gets a few free days. “We are a sport loving family, and crazy about fitness, too. I love bungee jumping, scuba diving and heading into the mountains and jungles. Basically, I love nature; city life suffocates me,” he says. His family comes down to Delhi, too, but infrequently.
- Dhawan’s fascination for bikes has been replaced by a passion for cars and horses. “I love riding horses, and sometime in the future, when I am through with cricket, I will look at raising a stud farm. It’s a dream I have nurtured for long,” he says. He is also into spiritualism and studying religion, and is working on his aspiration to become a motivational speaker by reading books by the masters. But, at the end of the day, he likes to describe himself as a “good cricketer and a caring family man”.
Indian mythology is close to his heart. “Arjuna is a fascinating character; his conversation with Lord Krishna is so enlightening. I see a bit of him in myself. I am focussed on my game and my goals are well defined. My targets are short-term and realistic. And I am my best critic — I can laugh at myself, berate myself, and I am also my best friend,” he shares. In fact, among the myriad tattoos he has on his body, the one of Arjuna is his favourite. “I look at myself as a peaceful warrior. I like to slay my opponents with my skills. At cricket, it is the bat and I like dominating bowlers,” he says, adding, “I don’t like arguments; I don’t get into fisticuffs.” He has grown up since his first-class cricket days when, needled by a senior at a game of football, he held him by the collar and shook him violently. The senior behaved well with him thereafter.
Tri-series whiz
Cricket coach Madan Sharma fondly remembers his experience working with Dhawan in his early years. “He used to be naughty, and would lose his temper quickly, but that has mellowed after marriage. Now, he will not miss his yoga and meditation, and has begun to view life differently”. He recalls an incident when Dhawan threw his wicket away in a crucial junior match and got a talking to from him. “The next morning I didn’t find Shikhar at the ground. When I checked, he was sitting at home, angry with me. I told him to report in 15 minutes and he was there. He won us the match that day and became one of the most disciplined students of the club,” he says.
Among his well-wishers are former batsman Sunil Gavaskar, sportsmen from other disciplines, and, of late, a bunch of wrestlers. Says noted umpire Anil Chaudhary, “Recently a few wrestlers followed me, asking to meet Shikhar. I asked why, and they said he is one cricketer who reacts like them (slaps his thigh) after doing something good on the field.”
Dhawan has become the mainstay of India’s batting, especially in the shorter formats of the game. “He is damn good with the white ball,” observes Nehra. The ‘peaceful warrior’ is now working to tame the red ball, but, as always, on his own terms.
vijay.l@thehindu.co.in