Going by Shikhar Dhawan’s current form, his performance at the top of the order will be critical in terms of determining India’s prospects in the white-ball matches during their upcoming Australia tour.
The left-handed opening batsman has been in scintillating form in this IPL with his tally of 525 runs playing a major role in Delhi Capitals’ qualification for the playoffs.
Dhawan himself is upbeat about replicating this performance in the ODIs and T20Is versus Australia.
“It’s very important for me to have got these runs in the IPL because once you score and do well, you take that confidence which you gained to the next tour,” Dhawan said during an online interaction on Wednesday.
“Australia (tour) is going to be good fun. I enjoy playing over there, enjoy the pitches there and have quality time. So it’s a good opportunity for me to prove my class over there, perform well and win matches for the Indian team.
“It’s going to be special as we will be playing for the Indian team after a long time. So we are really looking forward to this tour.”
Having Ricky Ponting as the Capitals head coach also seems to be keeping Dhawan in good spirits.
“Having Ricky as coach is a huge advantage. He always backs us regarding everything and gives us clarity in difficult situations. He’s always ready for open chats, wants to know our feedback even if that’s about the coaching staff as well,” Dhawan said.
“He wants to get the best out of the team. He has got great communication skills and communicates with all of us, not just the first-team regulars, but each and every member. He has been really fantastic for us.”
Alongside scoring in excess of 500 runs, Dhawan also smashed back-to-back hundreds this season — a first in the IPL. Asked if he feels this has been his best season, he replied: “I’ve been scoring over 500 for the past four years, so all of them should be the best then...
“But this season, I’ve also had two ducks along with two centuries, which is something I’ve never done before. But the key for me is to maintain my form and help my team.
“So for me, all seasons have been good as I always play with intent and passion.”
Rahane’s presence
Dhawan acknowledged that Ajinkya Rahane’s presence at the other end is a comforting factor.
“Ajinkya’s presence allows me to play freely. He brings a lot of stability in the batting order,” he said.
Shaw’s struggles
Prithvi Shaw is struggling, but Dhawan doesn’t think that’s too much of a concern.
“He’s timing the ball very nicely and hit a couple of boundaries the other day, so my advice to him would be to stay calm and positive.”