‘Shikhar used to take charge’: Irfan Pathan on what made Rohit and Dhawan click as openers

Rohit and Dhawan first started opening during the 2013 Champions Trophy and over the last seven years, have scored 4802 runs from 107 innings.

The opening pair of Shikhar Dhawan and Rohit Sharma is perhaps the best in the world and former Indian opener Irfan Pathan feels their tremendous understanding of each other’s games makes them the most formidable limited-overs opening pair in the world. Rohit and Dhawan first started opening during the 2013 Champions Trophy and over the last seven years, have scored 4802 runs from 107 innings.

Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan are India’s second-most successful opening pair in ODIs after Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly. (Getty Images)

“We know Shikhar plays very freely. He gives time to Rohit Sharma. We all know how Rohit Sharma is able to change gears very quickly, but he takes time early on. In cricket you need someone at the other end to understand your strengths and weakness,” Pathan said on the Cricket Connected Show on Star Sports.

Rohit and Dhawan are the fourth most successful opening pair in ODI cricket, after Sachin Tendulkar-Sourav Ganguly, Adam Gilchrist-Matthew Hayden and Gordon Greenidge-Desmond Haynes. Behind Tendulkar and Ganguly, they are India’s second most successful ODI opening pair averaging 45.30 with 16 century and 14 fifty-plus partnerships.

“Shikhar understands when Rohit Sharma needs time, for at least the few overs to get himself going,” Pathan said. “So, he used to take the charge and I think that’s what makes him successful. And as soon as the spinners came and Rohit Sharma got settled, he took all the pressure away from Shikhar Dhawan, so that’s why the whole camaraderie really, really went on well for Team India for so many years.”