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Shikhar Dhawan - Saves his best for big games?

Suleiman

Suleiman

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What a knock from this guy, doesn't have the technique of legends but has dedication, grit, and muscular strength to clear the boundaries and street smartness.

People get fooled when he doesn't perform in nothing games like against UAE when he was put down or whatnot.

Played a crucial knock against Pakistan in 2015 WC which may have been the defining knock in that game.

And now playing a knock to punish BD bowlers with an epic 50.

I'd rather have a guy who flops in random ODIs and t20s but performs 9/10 times in big games.

Serious talent this guy, gets bashed unnecessarily at times. Definition of clutch tonight.
 
Yeah better than Rohit as he performs when matters.Also has good numbers in odis overall too..Avgs 44@ SR 89..
 
Was discussing the same with my friend earlier today./

Shikhar does good at absorbing pressure.
 
Shikhar Dhawan- Saves his best for big games?

Man these Indian batsmen are on another level together
 
Goes, but outperformed that Rohit who acts tough in meaningless games but bottles it when Amir is bowling or is a must win game.

If my life depended on a game, I'd ask Dhawan to bat for me over Rohit no matter how many 200s the latter has.
 
For reaching the knock out First, you need guys like rohit, who are consistent performers.

On topic: the guy lack skills but makes up for it with his resolve to grind it out when put on spot light. One of the reason, he is still persisted with, even after his so many failures.
 
He came good for us in Australia too, he is one of those players who despite of their form you would want to keep in the team, because they always perform in crunch matches.

His nick name is Gabbar for a reason.
 
All the Indian bats turn up their game for big games/tournaments.

Dhawan isn't an anomaly.
 
Hawkeye said:
All the Indian bats turn up their game for big games/tournaments.

Dhawan isn't an anomaly.
Click to expand...

Got one word for you "Rohit" never turns up for anything except Laddus in the bilaterals.
 
Suleiman said:
Goes, but outperformed that Rohit who acts tough in meaningless games but bottles it when Amir is bowling or is a must win game.

If my life depended on a game, I'd ask Dhawan to bat for me over Rohit no matter how many 200s the latter has.
Click to expand...

Rohit scored a 100 in world cup QF without which we would have probably lost

But yes Dhawan has the best temperament in Indian team even bigger than Kohli.Always brings his best in big games .Kohli atleast has incredible talent but Dhawan mostly struggles in meaningless games and just flicks it on in big games
 
aniket1911 said:
For reaching the knock out First, you need guys like rohit, who are consistent performers.

On topic: the guy lack skills but makes up for it with his resolve to grind it out when put on spot light. One of the reason, he is still persisted with, even after his so many failures.
Click to expand...

Dhawan : 100 in Group stages against SA and WI in CT 2014. Then 70 against Pak and 100 against SA in WC
 
JaDed said:
Got one word for you "Rohit" never turns up for anything except Laddus in the bilaterals.
Click to expand...

Gotta disagree with you.

Rohit absolutely owned every bowling attack in Champions Trophy 2013. :akhtar
 
A big match player and someone who will never give you confidence but somehow he manages to score alright lol
 
To be fair, this was a flat pitch with no movement which helped him. He thrives on such wickets
 
Its INSANE how he has scored in almost every freaking knockout game.

Used to mention this thing many times in the past.

The SF knock against Aus truly won me over.

This guy can look useless at times (which may sway our perception) but he SIMPLY RAISES HIS GAME when it matters.

Happened to many times.

We are blessed to have a team with supreme clutch players in general.

Kohli, Dhawan, Dhoni, Raina and Ashwin.
 
Dhawan is more clutch than kohli, even though kohli is more consistent across games and obviously has the better technique. Most clutch batsmen in the team are Dhawan, Raina and Dhoni
 
Lords said:
He came good for us in Australia too, he is one of those players who despite of their form you would want to keep in the team, because they always perform in crunch matches.

His nick name is Gabbar for a reason.
Click to expand...

Can say the same about Raina. Very high on the clutch genes.
 
Varun said:
Which game was this?
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Vs Aus in 2015.

We were right on track till he was there.

Had his lucky break earlier (so it was a good sign for him too) and then was flaying the Aussie attack till he got out in the deep.

Wonderful wonderful knock.

Too bad that all the other batsmen in our team looked lulloo compared to him that day.
 
Dhawan and Raina both are like Gambhir. Delivers on big stage but fails to show up consistently in bilaterals. Others like Kohli/ Dhoni does well everywhere.
 
sensible-indian-fan said:
Its INSANE how he has scored in almost every freaking knockout game.

Used to mention this thing many times in the past.

The SF knock against Aus truly won me over.

This guy can look useless at times (which may sway our perception) but he SIMPLY RAISES HIS GAME when it matters.

Happened to many times.

We are blessed to have a team with supreme clutch players in general.

Kohli, Dhawan, Dhoni, Raina and Ashwin.
Click to expand...

When ???
 
sensible-indian-fan said:
Vs Aus in 2015.

We were right on track till he was there.

Had his lucky break earlier (so it was a good sign for him too) and then was flaying the Aussie attack till he got out in the deep.

Wonderful wonderful knock.

Too bad that all the other batsmen in our team looked lulloo compared to him that day.
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Yeah! Gave the much needed flying start to the team. The base was given and Kohli/ Rohit had the job to play big knock and won the game but Starc/ Johnson/ Hazlewood were too good for them.Obviously the chase was never going to be that easy.
 
Ab Fan said:
Dhawan and Raina both are like Gambhir. Delivers on big stage but fails to show up consistently in bilaterals. Others like Kohli/ Dhoni does well everywhere.
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Exactly.

Gambhir is crazy clutch but doesn't get known as one cos he doesn't do as good in bilaterals.

Performed in T20 WC 2007 finals.

Then 2011 WC finals.
 
I concur with the views. Always maintained that Dhawan is a big match player. Will come good when the team needs him.
 
BeautifulGame said:
Dhawan : 100 in Group stages against SA and WI in CT 2014. Then 70 against Pak and 100 against SA in WC
Click to expand...

I meant that he mostly goes missing in bilaterals and also in low pressure match.
The example you gave are abberation to the trend.

Nowadays he fires once in a four-five innings and that is very inconsistent thing for an opener.
 
Been telling y'all. Dude is clutch as they come. This is why he'll always be in the team, Kohli knows he's one guy that can always be depended upon in big matches.
 
Last edited:
Dhawan was badly struggling until he had played 20 balls or so. It took a massive amount of luck for him to perform yesterday. Sort of like Kohli's century against Pakistan in the WC.
 
Vorador said:
Dhawan was badly struggling until he had played 20 balls or so. It took a massive amount of luck for him to perform yesterday. Sort of like Kohli's century against Pakistan in the WC.
Click to expand...

So was Kohli. Had no timing and was not able to hit out.

But thats why I highly rate these players. Especially Kohli. Even when they are struggling - Asia cup final, Pakistan WC 15 match, they still somehow eek out the runs.

Even a decent player will score when in form. But if you are able to deliver when not scoring well, that really puts them in a different category.
 
Dhawan needs a flat track where the new ball does not do anything. The ball was doing a lot in the earlier matches of Asia cup and he therefore failed miserably.

Final match pitch was tailormade for him and so his success in this match did not surprise me.
 
sensible-indian-fan said:
wc 2015.....
Click to expand...

He was an utterly irresponsible idiot that day.

Till the time he was on the crease, India looked set to win the game. But he just had to scratch the itch of playing a meaningless shot just cuz he had had enough of a good stay at the wicket.

Once he departed, things just went downhill.


Dhoni esp mentioned about the stupidity of his, saying that players should realize not to throw away when the going is good. The only time Dhawan actually looked like a lambi race ka Ghoda was in CT 2013.
 
sensible-indian-fan said:
Exactly.

Gambhir is crazy clutch but doesn't get known as one cos he doesn't do as good in bilaterals.

Performed in T20 WC 2007 finals.

Then 2011 WC finals.
Click to expand...

Gambhir's innings in 2011 final has to be one of the most underrated/overshadowed innings of all time. I still maintain to this day that his innings was better and more impotant than Dhoni's.
 
OS_89 said:
Gambhir's innings in 2011 final has to be one of the most underrated/overshadowed innings of all time. I still maintain to this day that his innings was better and more impotant than Dhoni's.
Click to expand...

Gambhir's innings in 2007 world t20 final is probably the best t20 innings under pressure along with or slightly lower than marlon Samuel's innings in the final of world t20 (2012 ?) Against sri lanka. Massive clutch player.
 
Sidilicious said:
So was Kohli. Had no timing and was not able to hit out.

But thats why I highly rate these players. Especially Kohli. Even when they are struggling - Asia cup final, Pakistan WC 15 match, they still somehow eek out the runs.

Even a decent player will score when in form. But if you are able to deliver when not scoring well, that really puts them in a different category.
Click to expand...
Dhawan had multiple close calls. Kohli wasn't at his best either, true, but he wasn't giving any chances to his wicket either.

But I agree with you on the whole. Well-said.
 
A century full of swagger by Dhawan. Not sure if this qualifies as a big match. All India-Pakistan matches are big matches.
 
Gabbar is arguably the second best ODI batsmen in the world.
 
India opener Shikhar Dhawan has said that there is no secret behind his success in global ICC tournaments.

Dhawan has been India’s top-scorer in all three 50-over ICC tournaments since making his India debut in 2013. That includes the ICC Champion Trophy that year, when Dhawan began his tournament with back-to-back centuries against South Africa and West Indies. At the start of that tournament, Dhawan had only been five ODIs old.

He finished the tournament with 363 runs – not just the highest for India, but, by a distance, in the entire tournament, which India went on to win. He then struck 412 runs in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2015 and was the only Indian among the top five run-scorers of the tournament.

That was followed by another table-topping performance in the ICC Champions Trophy 2017, which India finished as the runners-up, where he scored 338 runs at 67.60, with a hundred and two fifties in five matches.

"People tell me about my record in ICC events, but frankly speaking, the intent has always been the same. It's not that the effort is less than 100% ever," Dhawan told Press Trust of India. "The focus, as always, is on the process. I am confident that I will have another good ICC tournament."

Ahead of the 2019 edition of cricket’s 50-over marquee tournament, Dhawan has once again found some timely form. After a mediocre start to the year, he made a career-best 143 against Australia in the fourth game at home, in India’s last ODI assignment before the World Cup.

He has followed that up with 521 runs in the 2019 Indian Premier League – the highest for Delhi Capitals and the fourth-highest of the season. My passion is still the same as it was when I started. I have shut out negativity, primarily because I am a happy-go-lucky person,” he said.

"Before I made my Test debut, I had played nearly nine years of first-class cricket. Had I not been passionate and hungry, I couldn't have performed for India after nine years of domestic cricket. Now, I have played six years of international cricket. It has been a great journey."

https://www.cricketworldcup.com/news/en/1221226
 
Make or break tourney for Dhawan. A failure in it and he might be replaced by Shaw post WC as Rohit isn't going anywhere.
 
Not sure whether he is a big match player like gambhir but he is surely an icc tournament "group stage" bully.
 
MP2011 said:
Make or break tourney for Dhawan. A failure in it and he might be replaced by Shaw post WC as Rohit isn't going anywhere.
Click to expand...

If this World Cup ends for India something like last WC i.e., S.F. Exit or Runners-up (like CT), don't wish so but it looks more likely to happen because there are weak-links to exploit... Then Captaincy can go over to Rohit Sharma eventually (for LOIs) and Rohit may look to push himself down to No.4 at some point once he loses fast reflexes as there are many exciting talents like P.Shaw wanting to play in Top Order... Kohli's horror experience with RCB & if WC also rubs on it then I am not sure if he continues captaincy... And if Dhoni retires from Indian team then it is going worsen his case even more (not for team, team has the capability to resurrect) Only strong team is not enough to win many matches (especially knockouts) a captain has to make it even stronger with his tactics and try to cover the loopholes in the team as much as possible! Rohit with his IPL triumph looks more confident! But as Indian Fan I hope we somehow come out victorious :)
 
RamLakhan said:
If this World Cup ends for India something like last WC i.e., S.F. Exit or Runners-up (like CT), don't wish so but it looks more likely to happen because there are weak-links to exploit... Then Captaincy can go over to Rohit Sharma eventually (for LOIs) and Rohit may look to push himself down to No.4 at some point once he loses fast reflexes as there are many exciting talents like P.Shaw wanting to play in Top Order... Kohli's horror experience with RCB & if WC also rubs on it then I am not sure if he continues captaincy... And if Dhoni retires from Indian team then it is going worsen his case even more (not for team, team has the capability to resurrect) Only strong team is not enough to win many matches (especially knockouts) a captain has to make it even stronger with his tactics and try to cover the loopholes in the team as much as possible! Rohit with his IPL triumph looks more confident! But as Indian Fan I hope we somehow come out victorious :)
Click to expand...
Kohli as a LoI captain is disastrous especially if he needs grandpa to spoon feed him for each move. Rohit seems much better bet. No way he'll drop himself down the order though. All his successes have come at opening the batting, why'd he change it?
 
Not that Kohli is any better as test captain. TINA factor is the only one which is keeping him in his job. Could've won at least SA series with better selections from him.
 
MP2011 said:
Not that Kohli is any better as test captain. TINA factor is the only one which is keeping him in his job. Could've won at least SA series with better selections from him.
Click to expand...

Who do you see as Test Captain? Ashwin? The problems are complicated! There are two main factors why Kohli is captain! Top Bat (across all formats) and his stature/popularity... Ashwin can't make into LOIs and Rohit into Tests... It would have been so better if he had mellowed down his aggression and not depend on Dhoni (plus not insisting on cheerleaders above him!) We at least would have hoped for improvement with time! Let's hope that calmer guys like Shreyas Iyer somehow first cement their position in the side and then gain some experience/maturity after couple of years to take up this position... It would have been so fascinating if someone like Ganguly led our Test side! Surely he would have taken the best out of this team (His team only lacked the quality pace-brigade we have today though the batting lineup was much better! But he would have come up with some tactics and tried to include Shaw, Agarwal, etc quickly instead of depending on ghosts & cheerleaders!)
 
MP2011 said:
Kohli as a LoI captain is disastrous especially if he needs grandpa to spoon feed him for each move. Rohit seems much better bet. No way he'll drop himself down the order though. All his successes have come at opening the batting, why'd he change it?
Click to expand...

Rohit Sharma is now 32, I am talking about next maybe 2-3 years it might get difficult to handle the new ball & fast reflexes... So he may have to eventually phase out to middle-order if he wants to last longer! Otherwise he may face issues/problems like Sehwag (New Ball, Running between Wicket, etc...) And he has lot of experience batting in middle order (Did the same with his IPL team in some seasons in his own captaincy!) Same thing applies to Dhawan, but he has no alternatives like Rohit... He should only hope that he gives his best in these 2-3 years (Nothing bigger than the current WC, he would be eager to contribute in a big way!) Even Gambhir (more rounded than Dhawan & successful opener) couldn't last long! Hence...
 
RamLakhan said:
Who do you see as Test Captain? Ashwin? The problems are complicated! There are two main factors why Kohli is captain! Top Bat (across all formats) and his stature/popularity... Ashwin can't make into LOIs and Rohit into Tests... It would have been so better if he had mellowed down his aggression and not depend on Dhoni (plus not insisting on cheerleaders above him!) We at least would have hoped for improvement with time! Let's hope that calmer guys like Shreyas Iyer somehow first cement their position in the side and then gain some experience/maturity after couple of years to take up this position... It would have been so fascinating if someone like Ganguly led our Test side! Surely he would have taken the best out of this team (His team only lacked the quality pace-brigade we have today though the batting lineup was much better! But he would have come up with some tactics and tried to include Shaw, Agarwal, etc quickly instead of depending on ghosts & cheerleaders!)
Click to expand...
Kohli's batting surely has quite a bit to say for him being Indian test captain despite losing 2 away series which with better selections, we could have won. As for Ashwin as our test captain? Nah, never. With the advent of Kuldeep, his place in test XI isn't that assured especially in away tests.
 
Some may laugh at this at the moment but I think Pant will one day be Indian captain in all formats.
 
He is not quit the player he was when he first appeared on the scene, Possibility his last big tournament. Same goes to Rohit I am seeing some signs in Rohit game that this might be his last tournament where he will be at his best.
 
RamLakhan said:
Rohit Sharma is now 32, I am talking about next maybe 2-3 years it might get difficult to handle the new ball & fast reflexes... So he may have to eventually phase out to middle-order if he wants to last longer! Otherwise he may face issues/problems like Sehwag (New Ball, Running between Wicket, etc...) And he has lot of experience batting in middle order (Did the same with his IPL team in some seasons in his own captaincy!) Same thing applies to Dhawan, but he has no alternatives like Rohit... He should only hope that he gives his best in these 2-3 years (Nothing bigger than the current WC, he would be eager to contribute in a big way!) Even Gambhir (more rounded than Dhawan & successful opener) couldn't last long! Hence...
Click to expand...
Don't agree with Rohit moving to middle order. Opening is something which has made him what he is currently. Don't think he has in him to play a finisher.
 
Relishes the big stage. A class act and I wouldn't be surprised if he goes on to be the leader run scorer of another ICC tournament, but he will face stiff competition from Kohli, Bairstow and Butler.
 
Suleiman said:
Lol p sure he meant SENA, but he’s typed TINA so often / recently that his phone autocorrects to that from SENA.
Click to expand...

Let’s hope it doesn’t happen the way round. Don’t want to be inviting an army (Sena is army in Hindi)
 
MP2011 said:
Don't agree with Rohit moving to middle order. Opening is something which has made him what he is currently. Don't think he has in him to play a finisher.
Click to expand...

You may not agree but Rohit himself may have that tendency (especially if he becomes captain!) which I have observed during IPL... He opened this season probably to get match practice & to be on the toes just before the World Cup, otherwise he might have done the same thing like last year (bat at No.4 for MI) But strictly No.4 and not anywhere below it (that's not finisher role completely, its a kind of accumulator/improviser!)

Not sure if he can maintain the same flair in coming years as opener. Even all these days he used to take a lot of time to get going! We are all aware of it and often criticized him for that, isn't it? (That's why he dropped to No.4 for MI, especially its critical in T20) But the monstrous hitting in the latter stages & his improvement in consistency has what won our hearts! Hence there is a chance that he may get back to that inconsistent/slow mode once again especially with aging! At that time spread-field and his experience may come handy!

I think Rohit would want to serve Indian team even more, so he may not go fading like Gambhir/Sehwag! He may wish/opt to stay in the team as Captain & No.4 bat... This is my "guess" (not "wish" like how some people here make :)) ) I think Rohit Sharma may lead the LOI team in our next world cup (in India) and all others seniors (only Kohli would be senior in terms of "stature" - age-wise/debut-wise he is younger!) and youngsters (Pant, Pandya, etc) may play under him!

Unless Shreyas Iyer shows tremendous development (as batsman first) or Pant as you said, I feel this is going to be the suit after this World Cup! I don't think Kohli will survive as captain for too long! Pant can be that all format captain, next Dhoni? (Maybe an improved version especially in Tests!) I congratulate you if that happens :) but someone else might be unhappy here who wishes him to be rested even in next world cups :))
 
One reason is he feels zero pressure just because it is a big tournament. That is why he does better than the most.
 
RamLakhan said:
You may not agree but Rohit himself may have that tendency (especially if he becomes captain!) which I have observed during IPL... He opened this season probably to get match practice & to be on the toes just before the World Cup, otherwise he might have done the same thing like last year (bat at No.4 for MI) But strictly No.4 and not anywhere below it (that's not finisher role completely, its a kind of accumulator/improviser!)

Not sure if he can maintain the same flair in coming years as opener. Even all these days he used to take a lot of time to get going! We are all aware of it and often criticized him for that, isn't it? (That's why he dropped to No.4 for MI, especially its critical in T20) But the monstrous hitting in the latter stages & his improvement in consistency has what won our hearts! Hence there is a chance that he may get back to that inconsistent/slow mode once again especially with aging! At that time spread-field and his experience may come handy!

I think Rohit would want to serve Indian team even more, so he may not go fading like Gambhir/Sehwag! He may wish/opt to stay in the team as Captain & No.4 bat... This is my "guess" (not "wish" like how some people here make :)) ) I think Rohit Sharma may lead the LOI team in our next world cup (in India) and all others seniors (only Kohli would be senior in terms of "stature" - age-wise/debut-wise he is younger!) and youngsters (Pant, Pandya, etc) may play under him!

Unless Shreyas Iyer shows tremendous development (as batsman first) or Pant as you said, I feel this is going to be the suit after this World Cup! I don't think Kohli will survive as captain for too long! Pant can be that all format captain, next Dhoni? (Maybe an improved version especially in Tests!) I congratulate you if that happens :) but someone else might be unhappy here who wishes him to be rested even in next world cups :))
Click to expand...
I won't be too sure of Rohit playing next WC, let alone leading us into that. I have a feeling that until Kohli hangs his boots, he won't relinquish captaincy, his ego is too big to allow him that. India's captain at next WC at home would either be still Kohli or someone totally unexpected.
 
jnaveen1980 said:
One reason is he feels zero pressure just because it is a big tournament. That is why he does better than the most.
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Would be happiest being proved wrong but won't be so sure this time round. His reflexes have slowed down considerably since last WC.
 
Further on Pant, whether we may like him or not, one thing is for sure he is here to stay and will play a bigger role than he is currently in Indian cricket. Him and Gill are our next generation.
 
MP2011 said:
Would be happiest being proved wrong but won't be so sure this time round. His reflexes have slowed down considerably since last WC.
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His issues are not reflex issues. He has issues against off spinners upfront and left arm seamers on the leg stump.
 
Also one thing more which I have noticed about Dhawan of late is that he isn't that same belligerent Delhi guy which we all used to know, almost at the point of being sheepish at times. Yeah that cringe worthy pat on his thighs after catching anything and everything is there but it looks more of a forced gesture as if to prove that he is still that same jatt with same swag.

Perhaps that has something to do with his continuous failures in test cricket. Indian think tank wanted him to be a test cricketer which he perhaps never was. He doesn't exhibit that same ruthless streak even in shorter formats.

Again hopefully will be proved wrong.
 
50 for Dhawan in a big game vs Australia - looking set for a big score
 
Turning it on when it became a matter of place in the team.

Back to back 100s in IPL

This guy is a must for us in 2023.
 
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