As India prepare for the 2022 T20 World Cup, they are spoilt for choice in most departments, with several experienced players in good form and newcomers also knocking on the doors with their performances in the Indian Premier League (IPL). However, one player who seems to have been put on the backburner is veteran opener, Shikhar Dhawan. The left-hander, who last played a T20 International (T20I) in June last year against Sri Lanka, wasn’t part of the 2021 T20 World Cup and has not been picked for the recently concluded 5-match series against South Africa or the two-match series against Ireland coming up later this month.
While Dhawan has been consistently impressing in the IPL, having upped his strike-rate as well in the last few years, he has seen the likes of Ishan Kishan and Ruturaj Gaikwad move above him in the pecking order among openers, with Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul still the first choice pair.
Legendary batter Sunil Gavaskar said that the fact that Dhawan was ignored by the selectors for the series against South Africa and Ireland implies that he is not in the mix for a spot when India pick their T20 World Cup squad.
“No, I don’t see that. If it had to pop up it would have been in this squad,” Gavaskar told host broadcaster Star Sports when asked if he sees Dhawan’s name in discussion for the 2022 T20 World Cup.
“Because a lot of the guys have gone to England. It would have been in this squad. If he’s not in this squad, I don’t see his name in the mix,” Gavaskar said.
The 2022 T20 World Cup is set to be held in Australia in October-November.
