After 143-Run Knock, Dhawan Explains How he Returned to Form

Dhawan’s 143 against Australia at Mohali was his 16th ODI century, and first in 18 innings.

Shikhar Dhawan speaks after India’s fourth ODI against Australia.

(Screenshot: ANI)

After a series of poor performances, opener Shikhar Dhawan was back among the runs in the fourth ODI against Australia at Mohali. He smashed a 143 off 115 balls – his highest ODI score – and stitched a 193-run stand with fellow opener Rohit Sharma.

The Indian opener quelled doubts over his form ahead of the World Cup with his 16th ODI century, and first in 18 innings.

When asked how he managed to make a comeback amidst people scrutinising his form, Dhawan said:

I don’t read the newspapers, so I don’t know what’s happening in the world and what people are saying. I keep my composure because I know I perform best when I’m calm. There’s no point cribbing or being sad. As a batsman I feel sad but I make sure to cut down the negative thoughts, accept reality and move on.

Shikhar Dhawan

Dhawan also admitted that the Indian team has twice read the conditions wrongly in successive games of the ongoing ODI series.

Australia levelled the five-match series with a record chase of 359 in the fourth ODI and the senior opener, who hit a career-best 143, said that they didn't apprehend that dew would be a factor, just like the other way round in the previous game.

In the previous encounter in Ranchi, India had decided to chase a 320 plus score as they felt that dew would set in and it didn't.

“We had expected dew would be a factor in the last game and it didn’t come and here, we didn’t expect dew in this game and it came very heavily.”

Shikhar Dhawan

After scoring 358, they had thought that there will be pressure on Australia but it turned the other way round.

"So of course, when you put such a totals on the board, it's always pressure for the other sides and not our bowlers and we were quite in control till 38th over. But then ball started coming so nicely and the (bounce) true that you could play any shot on that surface," Dhawan said.

The dew didn't allow the deliveries from the spinners to grip the surface.

"Because of the dew, the ball was not gripping and of course he (Ashton Turner) played really a good knock and took the game away. But he couldn't have played those shots had there been no dew," Dhawan said.

The Indian opener gave rookie Ashton Turner a lot of credit for finishing an improbable chase.

"I would give credit to him (Turner) for playing with such composure and took the game away from us. All his shots were on the roof and yes, he played really well," Dhawan added.