SHIKHAR DHAWAN

Coming to the two most noticeable exclusions from the Indian T20 World Cup 2021 squad, one of the biggest and most experienced names was that of opener Shikhar Dhawan.

Dhawan has played in previous editions of the T20 World Cup, notably the 2016 edition which was held in India. He has a decent record in the format, with 1759 runs in 68 T20Is for India with the best score of 92 and a strike rate of 126.36.

In IPL as well, he had his best season in 2020 scoring two centuries and a total of 618 runs, leading the Delhi Capitals to the final of the tournament. Overall he has 5577 runs in 184 IPL matches at a strike rate of 127.35.

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He was deemed a slow starter in the 20-over format and with the rise of Ishan Kishan in the format, selectors picked the young Jharkhand batsman over Dhawan as the third opener in the T20 World Cup 2021 squad, as he doubles up as a backup wicketkeeper to Rishabh Pant as well.

Shikhar Dhawan’s tendency to start slowly went against him as the T20s have evolved, the openers have started scoring runs at a freakish rate as well and Dhawan’s gameplay of holding one end probably didn’t fit the vision of BCCI selectors.