India vs WI, 3rd ODI: Loads of problems and plenty of lessons to learn for India

4. Shikhar Dhawan’s perennial problem against off-spinners

Dhawan a walking wicket against off-spinners

In the chase, India lost Rohit Sharma to a beauty from Jason Holder. Dhawan was timing the ball beautifully against the fast bowlers. But the moment off-spinner Ashley Nurse was introduced into the attack, it was a different ball game for Shikhar as he started losing his patience and concentration.

When Dhawan failed to put bat on ball against the off-spinner, he took the desperate route of trying to sweep Nurse blindly which caught him plumb in front.

In the Asia Cup, except for Afghanistan, the other teams did not have quality off-spinners to test Dhawan. Pakistan used to exploit Dhawan’s weakness against off-spin by opening the bowling with Mohammad Hafeez.

Here in the first two ODIs, Dhawan did not last long enough to face the spinners in the middle. Perhaps a change in strategy for the West Indies to open the bowling with Nurse in the next ODI might fetch immediate success.

On Dhawan’s part, he should show patience against the spinners and should try to rotate the strike in the initial stages and should restrain himself from going for the sweep.