Mumbai: With more and more ‘format-specific’ young players getting the nod in the Indian side, needless to say finding a place in various formats has become difficult for many players.
Star India opener Shikhar Dhawan is one such player who has been away from the Indian T20 setup for quite a long time now.
He was recently featured in the ODIs against West Indies at home but couldn’t find himself a spot in the squad for the shortest format as India played 6 matches last month. With this being a year with T20 World Cup, which is scheduled to hold later this year. Dhawan hopes to book a seat on the flight to Australia. He believes that if he does well in the upcoming edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL), he can win back a spot in the team for the showpiece event.
“The T20 World Cup is coming. I know that if I do well in the IPL, I can get into the side. I am a very process-driven person. I don’t set goals. Till the time, I am enjoying my game and when I am saying enjoying my game, I mean from a fitness, game, and mindset perspective If I am enjoying on all these fronts, it works best for me. And I’m in that space right now. So, I’m making sure my process is very strong, and I automatically achieve all that I need to,” Dhawan was quoted as saying to Times of India.
The 36-year-old was picked by Punjab Kings for INR 8.25 crore last month at the mega auction. Dhawan also explained even if he doesn’t get selected for the T20 World Cup, he won’t let that affect his present state of mind and game. “I am confident of doing well in the IPL. And if I do that, I will have a chance to make the World Cup squad. Maybe I will, maybe I won’t – time will tell. But I won’t allow any of that to affect my state of mind,” he added.
“I am happy to be part of Punjab Kings. I am a Punjabi boy, so of course, the connection is already strong. Like Delhi, Punjab is also home. From childhood, I have been fond of Punjabi songs. Being from a Punjabi family, I also speak the language. I believe the connection with the fans is already there. At the same time, it’s a good opportunity for both me and the team to make a strong statement in the IPL. We have a balanced team. We are going to have a great season,” he concluded.
