Sunil Gavaskar questions favoritism towards Rohit Sharma; asks Dhawan to score big to secure place

Gavaskar said that Mayank Agarwal will have to wait for his chances.

Shikhar Dhawan should make big centuries to keep criticisers at bay | Getty

Rohit Sharma will be leading the Indian team in the Nidahas Tri-series 2018. This happened because, the selectors decided to give rest to some of the players who had a 2 month long tour to South Africa.

Sunil Gavaskar talked about this and more in his column in Times of India.

Gavaskar wrote, “It is a wonderful opportunity for youngsters like Mohammad Shiraz, Rishab Pant, Deepak Hooda to serve notice of their talent and temperament, and for senior pros like (Suresh) Raina and (Dinesh) Karthik to show that their selection is justified.

He also talked about Mayank Agarwal not getting selected.

Gavaskar wrote, “As always the selection of a team means some in-form players who have done well in the domestic season won’t find a place in the squad. Mayank Agarwal has had a fabulous season in all three formats of the game but still is not in the team. This has happened to many players in the past where it’s been impossible to dislodge the established ones in the team.

Mayank Agarwal was unlucky not to get a place in the team for Sri Lanka T20 trieseries

He continued, “What’s been interesting though in this debate about Agarwal’s exclusion is the name of the player that those backing him wanted dropped, rested, whatever. As always Shikhar Dhawan’s name is top of the list and while he could hardly be dropped on form, Agarwal’s backers wanted him rested.

Talking about Shikhar Dhawan, Gavaskar wrote, “Why Dhawan, why not Rohit Sharma? After all Rohit played more matches than Dhawan in South Africa. Not for a moment it is being advocated that Sharma should be dropped but it’s only to bring out that when the axe is to be wielded then Dhawan invariably tops the list. That’s why the left-hander has to realise that getting brilliant 70s and 80s is not going to save his place.

Gavaskar further advised, “Only hundreds will and so like Virat Kohli hardly plays a lofted shot even in limited overs cricket and gets to 100s, Dhawan also has to ensure he eliminates the risky lofted shots and gets hundreds. His scoring rate is tremendous anyway so that will not drop down but his centuries will increase and the usual call to leave him out will decrease.

Gavaskar said that the credit for transformation of Mayank Agarwal should go to Rahul Dravid.

Agarwal’s progress has been tremendous from the hit and miss player he was a couple of years back. Rahul Dravid must take a big share of the credit for that for it is under his mentorship of the A team that Agarwal has become the consistent big score player he is today,” Gavaskar said.

 
 

By Jatin Sharma - 04 Mar, 2018

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