With the likes of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli being rested for the upcoming ODI series against Zimbabwe, Shikhar Dhawan will be India’s senior-most player on the tour and the southpaw is ready to help the youngsters who reach out to him.
The 16-member squad features young players such as Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shubman Gill, Deepak Hooda, Rahul Tripathi, Ishan Kishan, Sanju Samson among others.
For the three-match ODI tour, Dhawan was initially given the reasonability to lead the team. However, he was relegated to vice-captaincy after KL Rahul's late inclusion.
"I quite enjoy sharing my experience with the youngsters in the team. I first came here in 2014 (actually 2013), when Duncan Fletcher was the Indian coach. If they (youngsters) reach out to me for any suggestions, I am (always) there to answer them," Dhawan told reporters at a media conference on Tuesday (August 16).
The veteran opener is happy that skipper Rahul will get the much-needed game time ahead of the all-important Asia Cup.
"It is very good news that KL (Rahul) is back and will be leading the side as well. He is one of the main players of this Indian team. It will be a good outing for him before the Asia Cup gets underway. I am sure he will gain a lot from this tour," Dhawan said.
All-rounder Washington Sundar has been ruled out of the ODI tour after sustaining a shoulder injury in the Royal London One Day Cup.
"It's sad that Washington is out. He is quite an important player for the side. But it's part and parcel...injuries happen. Hope, he will recover soon. He will be missed as a spinner but we have got a good back-up through Kuldeep Yadav and Deepak Hooda, who also bowls off-spin," the Indian vice-captain stated.
Dhawan made it clear that the Indian team won’t take the hosts lightly, especially after their recent series win against Bangladesh.
"They have won against Bangladesh. They are playing good cricket. It's good for us and we cannot take anything for granted. It's about the process.
"Regardless of the team we are facing, we always make sure we do things right so that we end up getting the right results. That will once again be our focus as a team," he said.
The 36-year-old concluded by saying that the series against Zimbabwe will be crucial for a number of youngsters in the squad.
"The youngsters, these days, have got more exposure. They are confident and they have good technique. Their confidence level is quite high because of domestic and IPL. We feel that we have got so many options. It is a healthy sign for the team," he signed off.
(With PTI inputs)
