Shikhar Dhawan was excluded from the Indian team for their upcoming ODI series against Sri Lanka. The three-match series will be played from January 10 to 15 and the squad includes most of India's first team regulars including captain and Dhawan's long-time opening partner Rohit Sharma.
Interestingly, Dhawan posted a video of himself training with a rather emotional caption just after the team news was announced and later went on to delete it. “It is not about winning or losing, it is all about your guts. Keep working hard and leave the rest in the hands of God,” Dhawan had written in the caption in Punjabi.
A number of former players and experts were surprised by the call. Dhawan has been leading India in ODIs whenever Rohit and vice-captain Rahul were rested for the past three years. Former India pacer Dodda Ganesh took to social media after India's ODI and T20I squads for the Sri Lanka series were announced to call Dhawan's absence "really unfortunate".
"Does this mean it’s the end of the road for Shikhar Dhawan as an international cricketer? He was a mighty-fine ODI batter and won India many a games and tournaments. It’s really unfortunate if his career ends in this fashion," he tweeted. Another key exclusion from both the white-ball teams is Rishabh Pant, who has struggled to find his feet in the shorter formats. He continues his charge in Test cricket, having recently struck a quickfire 90 against Bangladesh. Suryakumar Yadav will be replacing Pant as Hardik’s deputy in T2OIs.
{{/usCountry}}"Does this mean it’s the end of the road for Shikhar Dhawan as an international cricketer? He was a mighty-fine ODI batter and won India many a games and tournaments. It’s really unfortunate if his career ends in this fashion," he tweeted. Another key exclusion from both the white-ball teams is Rishabh Pant, who has struggled to find his feet in the shorter formats. He continues his charge in Test cricket, having recently struck a quickfire 90 against Bangladesh. Suryakumar Yadav will be replacing Pant as Hardik’s deputy in T2OIs.
{{/usCountry}}Ishan Kishan, who recently struck the fastest ODI double hundred against Bangladesh, has been named in both the teams. Sanju Samson is the other wicket-keeper in the T2OI squad while Rahul will offer another option to keep the gloves in the ODI series. The twin series run from January 3 to 15.
Fast bowlers Shivam Mavi and Mukesh Kumar, fresh off lucrative IPL deals in the auction, have been named in India’s 16-member T2OI squad.