During an Instagram Live session last week, Rohit Sharma and David Warner had shared their experiences of opening the batting with Shikhar Dhawan.
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While Rohit has been opening with Dhawan in white-ball cricket for the last 7 years, Warner opened with the India left-hander for Sunrisers Hyderabad in IPL.
While chatting, both of them joked about Dhawan preferring not to face the first ball of the innings.
“The only time I remember him (Dhawan) taking the first ball was when Harbhajan was bowling. He always used to say if there is a left-arm fast bowler then ‘you take the strike as I don’t want the incoming delivery,” Warner said.
“He’s an idiot, what can I say. He doesn’t like to face the first ball. He likes to take on the spinners, but he does not like to take on the fast bowlers,” Rohit asserted.
Dhawan was asked to react on the same by former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan in an Instagram live session on Wednesday (May 13).
In reply, the southpaw said it’s just a mental thing and has got nothing to do with him not wanting to take on the fast bowlers first-up.
“No no I disagree to that. It’s not like I don’t want to face fast bowlers. Everyone has their views, I am an opening batsman. I have done that role for India for eight years now, so obviously I play the fast bowlers. If I do not face them in the first over, then I eventually do in the second over.
“Yes, I do not like taking strike on the first ball of the match and I am honest about it but if any youngster like Prithvi comes in the side and he is not comfortable taking the first ball then obviously I would take the strike. But with Rohit, it started in Champions Trophy where I told him to take the strike and that sort of continued as I don’t like to change things much,” Dhawan explained.
The 34-year-old also opened up about his 85-ball hundred versus Australia on Test debut. He had slammed 187 off 174 balls in his maiden Test innings at Mohali against an attack featuring Mitchell Starc, Peter Siddle, Nathan Lyon among others.
Dhawan said it is a challenge for every opener to take on fast bowlers in seaming conditions.
“Of course if we play in England in seaming conditions, it is challenging for everyone, it’s not like I don’t want to face fast bowlers.”
(Inputs from Hindustan Times)
