If the team management still believes that 275-300 is their aim, then you need Shikhar Dhawan – Saba Karim

Former Indian selector Saba Karim feels if the team management still believes that a score of 275-300 is their aim, then they need to back Shikhar Dhawan. India has adopted a sedate approach in the limited-overs format and many cricket boffins feel the team needs to be more aggressive.

Meanwhile, Dhawan didn’t have a great tour of New Zealand as he failed to lead the team from the front in the ODI series. Dhawan could only manage 18 runs in three ODI matches against Bangladesh at an average of six and a strike rate of 51.32.

Dhawan has been a consistent performer for the national team in the 50-overs team and his career strike rate is 91.35 but he hasn’t been delivering in the recent past.

On the other hand, India went on to score a mammoth score of 409 runs on the board after Ishan Kishan bludgeoned 210 runs from 131 balls while Virat Kohli contributed 113.

Saba Karim said on Sony Sports, “It will depend on the team management, that what sort of cricket they are wanting to play. If the team management still believes that 275-300 is their aim, then you need Shikhar Dhawan because he is still that kind of a player.”

Karim feels there is no place for Shikhar Dhawan in India’s final XI if the team wants to target a score of more than 320 in the ODI format.

“It is a different thing that he has not scored runs in this series. But if you give him an opportunity again and tell him that we have to score 275-300 only, Shikhar Dhawan’s place will be there till the World Cup. But if we have decided that our par score will be 325-350, there is no place for Dhawan.”

Karim added there are slim chances of Shikhar Dhawan scoring a big knock at a strike rate of 130-140.

“So a lot will depend on the selectors and the team management, the captain, that what expectation you have. If you expect that Shikhar Dhawan will play a big knock at a strike rate of 130-140 in a 350-run game, it is not going to happen.”
Former Indian selector Saba Karim feels if the team management still believes that a score of 275-300 is their aim, then they need to back Shikhar Dhawan. India has adopted a sedate approach in the limited-overs format and many cricket boffins feel the team needs to be more aggressive.

Dhawan has all the experience under his belt and he would want to make a solid comeback in the home series against Sri Lanka.