Former India cricketer Aakash Chopra feels that the selectors should give Shikhar Dhawan a chance in the upcoming ODI series against South Africa. Dhawan has been sidelined from the Indian team since the Sri Lanka tour in June where he led the second-string team. The southpaw missed out on his place in the T20 World Cup despite having a decent show in IPL 2021. The Test team has already travelled to South Africa but the All India Selection Committee is yet to pick the ODI squad.
The southpaw failed to score big in the Vijay Hazare Trophy but Chopra feels that it will be ‘grossly unfair’ if Dhawan didn’t get picked.
“Shikhar Dhawan’s performance was not good. Shikhar Dhawan’s bat has not talked in a high-scoring Vijay Hazare Trophy, it has been absolutely silent. Will the selectors pull the plug on him? I think that will be grossly unfair," Chopra said on his Youtube channel.
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Dhawan has performed well in the ICC tournaments and Chopra emphasized on that to claim that India might need him for the 2023 World Cup if he stays fit.
“12, 8 (18), 14, 12 and 0 – that’s his last five scores in a high-scoring Vijay Hazare Trophy. Should you select him? I think he should be. Dhawan is India’s proven customer. He has done phenomenally well in One-Day cricket. He is the Mr ICC. If we look at 2023 World Cup — if he stays fit — why not?” he added.
The former cricketer said that the Indian team has not played 50-overs cricket much in 2021 and it’s unfair to drop Dhawan from the South Africa ODIs.
“India has not played ODI cricket in 2021. And whatever T20 he has played, whether it is the first or second half of the IPL, some people feel he should have been in the World Cup team as well," he said.
Ruturaj Gaikwad has come into the fray for the upcoming ODI series against South Africa as he enjoyed sublime form in the Vijay Hazare trophy and has already smashed four centuries in his 603 runs tally.
“So why not now, just because Ruturaj is scoring runs or Venkatesh Iyer can also open or Ishan Kishan’s stars are shining, or Rohit and Rahul. If someone performs badly, you can drop him but if you drop because someone else is doing well, that’s not fair. I feel Shikhar Dhawan should be in the squad to South Africa," Chopra said.
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