After winning the three-match T20I series against Sri Lanka, India opener Shikhar Dhawan said they dominated the series while experimenting with different players and batting order.
HIGHLIGHTS
- Shikhar Dhawan revealed that the management’s plan has been to give opportunities to all players
- Shikhar Dhawan scored a brisk 52 in India’s series-clinching win over Sri Lanka
- Dhawan said India dominated the series while experimenting with different players
India opener Shikhar Dhawan revealed that the management’s plan has been to give opportunities to all players in the build-up to the 2020 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, so as to “refine” them ahead of the marquee tournament.
Shikhar Dhawan scored a brisk 52 in India’s series-clinching win over Sri Lanka at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune. KL Rahul and Dhawan both hit the fifties to lay the foundation for India’s imposing total of 201-6 after being put in to bat
Shardul Thakur produced an all-round display and Navdeep Saini impressed with his pace again as India thumped Sri Lanka by 78 runs in the third and final Twenty20 International to complete a 2-0 series victory in Pune on Friday.
The series opener in Guwahati was abandoned because of rain and India romped home by seven wickets in the second match in Indore. Dhawan said India dominated the series while experimenting with different players and batting order.
“We dominated the series and if I talk about myself, I had a challenge that I am coming back after an injury and I have to perform. Everyone has different challenges. A lot of players coming in, they have their own challenges,” Dhawan said in the post-match press conference.
“In these series, we can do the experiment and once we know that this thing is clicking, then we go with this pattern. Number one, two or three we know who is going to come. That is why it important to do the experiment and we can take that risk right now,” he said.
“Today we wanted to give a fair chance to the players who hadn’t batted in the series,” he explained. “We’re left with just 15-20 games [before the T20 World Cup]. They’re rotating the players so that when the World Cup comes, everyone’s refined and knows their job. This is the best time to experiment.”
India made three changes in their squad for the third T20I against Sri Lanka and skipper Virat Kohli batted very low in the order. Sanju Samson became the sixth batsman India deployed at No.3 in their last six T20Is. The other five have been Shreyas Iyer, Shivam Dube, Rishabh Pant, KL Rahul and Virat Kohli.
“We won the first match and today, as a team, we wanted to bat first because we want to refine ourselves more while batting first and winning more games. That brings confidence and that is why we are consciously doing it,” Dhawan added.