Stand-in captain Rohit Sharma delighted with Shikhar Dhawan's return to form just in time for T20 series in Australia later this month
Rohit Sharma
India's stand-in captain Rohit Sharma said it was important for Shikhar Dhawan to return to form ahead of the crucial tour of Australia, which will be a completely "different ball game". Dhawan, who struggled throughout the preceding ODI series against West Indies, returned to form with a smashing 92 off 62 balls to help India beat the visitors by six wickets in the final T20 and complete a 3-0 series sweep on Sunday.
Dhawan and young Rishabh Pant (53 off 25) stitched 130 runs off 80 balls for the third wicket on Sunday to lay the foundation for the win. "It was important from the team's perspective and for the players to get some runs ahead of the important Australia tour. Shikhar especially was batting well in the ODI series but he was not able to get big scores. I am glad that he could play a match-winning knock and get some form under his belt before the crucial tour," Rohit said.
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Shikhar Dhawan en route his 62-ball 92 during the third T20I against West Indies at the MA Chidambaram Stadium on Sunday. Pic/AFP
"Rishabh was also hungry to go out and get some runs. It was the perfect situation. We were two down inside the first six overs. There was a bit of pressure as well. They handled it well and it was a match-winning partnership. It is important in the team's perspective that both these guys got runs," he said.
India's tour of Australia starts with the three-match T20 series at Brisbane on November 21. Rohit said the upcoming tour of Australia will be a completely "different ball-game" and India must take confidence from the 3-0 win. "Every time you go there, you are tested as a player. Australia will be a different ball game," he said.
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