Asia Cup 2022: “He is consistent”- Harbhajan Singh wants Shikhar Dhawan back in T20Is

Former Indian cricketer Harbhajan Singh feels opener Shikhar Dhawan should make a comeback to T20Is in the build-up to the T20 World Cup, which will get underway in October.

He lauded Dhawan's consistency in the Indian Premier League (IPL), saying India should bring back players who know how to score runs.

The spin legend reckoned that India lacked consistency from their batting unit, which cost them their Super 4 game against Sri Lanka in the Asia Cup 2022 on Tuesday (September 6).

The Men in Blue have suffered back-to-back losses against Pakistan and the Islanders and are virtually out of the race to the final.

Speaking to Aaj Tak, Harbhajan said:

“Shikhar has scored runs and he is consistent and the current Indian team needs that consistency. In the IPL, Dhawan scores decent runs every year. So, my opinion is to bring back players who have got runs and who know how to score runs.”

It is worth mentioning that he has scored over 450 runs in every IPL season since 2016. In the previous season, the Punjab Kings opener amassed 460 runs in 14 matches at an average of 38.33.

The southpaw was overlooked for the 2021 T20 World Cup in UAE, last playing a T20I for India against Sri Lanka in July 2021. He has represented India in 68 T20Is, scoring 1759 runs, including 11 half-centuries.

He was in red hot form during the recently concluded ODI series in Zimbabwe and the West Indies. His last six innings scores are 40, 33, 81*, 58, 13 and 97 (latest first).

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“No negativity, no complaint”- Mohammad Kaif hails Dhawan for consistency in ODIs

Former Indian cricketer Mohammad Kaif has commended Dhawan for his consistent performances in the Caribbean and Zimbabwe.

Taking to Twitter, he wrote:

“A salute to Shikhar Dhawan and Cheteshwar Pujara for their drive and passion. Just securing a place in the side can't motivate to be this consistent. No negativity, no complaint, if I have a bat in hand I will score, that's pure love for the game.”

The left-hander will play in the upcoming ODI series against South Africa. The three-match series will kick start in Lucknow on October 6. The action will then shift to Ranchi and Delhi for the second and third ODI, respectively.

The veteran is expected to play a significant role in ODI World Cup 2023. In his prolific career, he has amassed 6647 runs in 158 ODIs at an average of 45.84, which includes 38 fifties and 17 centuries. He is the first-choice opener alongside captain Rohit Sharma in the 50-over format.