The former India head coach Ravi Shastri has provided insightful perspectives on the upcoming Asia Cup 2023. He also talked about the role of Shikhar Dhawan during the 2029 World Cup and how people don’t give him the credits he deserves for his performances.
As the Asia Cup 2023 comes near, the Indian team management and selectors find themselves deep in negotiations. Their goal: building the ideal lineup for the top seven places. At present, the team’s arrangement seems rather unpredictable, lacking that important sense of consistency.
The important decision regarding the opening pair is the yet-to-be-made choice of who would stand with Rohit Sharma as the opening batsman. The prospects for this key role include Ishan Kishan and Shubman Gill, both competing for the spot.
Adding vital ideas into the equation is former India coach Ravi Shastri. He has given his opinions on both the impending Asia Cup 2023 and the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup. During the Star Sports Selection Day show, Shastri delved into Ishan Kishan’s role inside the batting lineup for the Asia Cup. He also provided insight on the effect of seasoned player Shikhar Dhawan on the team and the absence felt throughout the 2019 World Cup campaign. Dhawan last played his ODI in December last year during the tour of Bangladesh.
Shikhar Dhawan deserves all the credit: Ravi Shastri
Drawing from the team’s history, notably the 2019 World Cup trip, Shastri emphasized the vital contribution made by the veteran Indian opener Shikhar Dhawan to the team’s composition and performance.
“At the top of the order, nowhere else. And the others have to be flexible. Between Rohit, Virat, and Shubhman Gill, that can be 2, 3, 4. And a very important point is, I was a coach at that time, and I keep saying that people don’t give the credit that Shikhar Dhawan deserves. I mean, that guy was an amazing player.”
“You mention the World Cup in 2019 where we lost that semifinal when we had a brilliant World Cup, he was the missing man there. You know, that made such a big difference -– a left-hander at the top of the order, as opposed to three right-handers with the ball swinging away, which allowed teams to get a grip of where to bowl and bowl consistently,” he said.
