Indian captain Shikhar Dhawan is proud of his inexperienced team for showing character and fight in the final two T20Is amidst a “difficult COVID-19 situation” after they lost their first-ever series against Sri Lanka across formats in 13 years on Thursday (July 29) in Colombo.
After winning the ODI series in Sri Lanka, Team India lost the three-match T20I series 1-2 after losing the third and final T20I by 7 wickets on Thursday in Colombo.
India only had 11 players available for the final two T20Is against Sri Lanka after 9 of their regular stars were forced to quarantine in their hotel rooms after Krunal Pandya tested positive for COVID-19.
Well, the Indian team with multiple debutants, gave their best and tough fight to the Sri Lankans but came up short in both the games as the tourists eventually lost the T20I series.
Following the T20I series loss to Sri Lanka, the stand-in skipper Shikhar Dhawan hinted that the tourists had an option of withdrawing from the T20I series after losing nine players to COVID-19 related isolation, but they chose to stay and play with only five specialist batsmen.
Dhawan said at the post-match presentation ceremony: “It was a difficult situation for us but as a team, we decided we will stay and play the series. Really proud of the boys as well. They showed great character in the last two games. Their attitude was tremendous. We wanted to win as well, in every game you learn.”
On being asked about what he learned as captain on the tour, the opener said: “Lots of learnings for me as captain. The last game was a close one. Today was an off day for the batting unit but the boys will learn from it. We lost too many wickets today and the Sri Lanka bowlers bowled well.”
He signed off by saying on losing too many early wickets in the final T20I, “When you lose early wickets and you don’t have a long batting, you are under pressure. Both teams played in great spirit and it’s a beautiful feeling. The Sri Lanka captain and players wanted to know about my process, so I told them and I hope they enjoyed listening to it”.
Meanwhile, Sri Lanka all-rounder Wanindu Hasaranga, who was named the Player of the Match as well as the Player of the Series, credited the spinners for the series win over Indians.
Hasaranga signed off by saying, “The wicket was slow, and our spinners bowled really well. When I bowl, I always try to bowl dot balls. That helps in getting wickets. The fielding also helps. I am really happy because other boys played really well throughout the series, both in ODIs and T20Is.”
(With PTI Inputs)
