IND vs ENG | Enjoy playing on such bouncy and true wicket, admits Shikhar Dhawan

With Rohit Sharma was rested in the first two games of the T20I series, Shikhar Dhawan opened the innings alongside KL Rahul. In the very first T20I, the southpaw managed to score a 12-ball 4, which then led to the management dropping him from the second T20I and the series thereafter. 

While his opportunities dried in the shortest format, he got himself another chance with the ODI series, where skipper Virat Kohli stressed the importance of the left-hander and Rohit Sharma at the top of the order. In just the first innings, the opener scored a scintillating 98, where he made the English bowlers work for his wicket. After a rare failure in the second ODI, Dhawan came back strongly in the third, with a quick-fire 67 at the top of the order alongside Rohit to give India a brisk start. 

Following India’s win in the ODI series 2-1, the Delhi opener insisted that he enjoys playing on such a bouncy and true wicket as the one they had in all three matches in Pune. He also added that the wicket was a pure batting wicket, which allowed for natural stroke-making. 

“The wicket was very good, especially the last two matches and it stayed true as well and I enjoy playing on such bouncy tracks,” Dhawan told Star Sports. 

With Dhawan just being a feature of the white-ball formats, he revealed that playing in the domestic arena, with Syed Mushtaq Ali and Vijay Hazare gave him confidence and match-practise since the tour to Australia. He also joked that he was always in the groove but opportunities didn’t come his way after the first T20I, which India lost. 

“I was always in the groove. Just that I wasn't playing (laughs). Once I got the chance I made the most of it. I was playing domestic cricket - Syed Mushtaq Ali and Vijay Hazare - and that was match practice for me. I'm glad I played those tournaments," he added.