'If somebody is doing better than my best, that is fine' - Shikhar Dhawan on his Team India axe

Shikhar Dhawan has been out of the fray for Team India following his low-scale outing in Bangladesh last December. However, he is not bothered about his ICC World Cup 2023 chances and is okay with someone performing better than him.

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Senior Indian opener Shikhar Dhawan finds himself out of the Indian team less than three months after captaining the One-Day International (ODI) side. Still, the 37-year-old opener has yet to give up on a strong desire to play the ICC World Cup at home later this year. One of India's finest openers to have been produced in the 50-over format, Dhawan was dropped from the side following a lean run, including the three fixtures in Bangladesh last December.

In November, the southpaw led the side in New Zealand, with regular skipper Rohit Sharma and vice-captain KL Rahul being rested. Young opener Shubman Gill came into the team at Dhawan's expense, and he has not looked back ever since, amassing four centuries, including a double ton in his last seven innings.

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Speaking to PTI on the sidelines of the inaugural Formula E race in India, the ever-optimistic Dhawan looked back at the ups and downs of the last three months. "They [ups and downs] are part of life. With time and experience, you learn how to handle them easily. I find a lot of strength in them. I did my best. If somebody is doing better than my best, that is fine," he said.

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"That is why that person is there, and I am not there. I am pleased and content wherever I am. I make sure my process goes on strong. Of course, there is always a chance of me returning to the side. If it comes, it is good. If it doesn't come, that is also good. I have achieved a lot, and I am happy with that. Whatever has to come will come. I don't get desperate about it," added Dhawan, having played 34 Tests, 167 ODIs and 68 Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is).

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With his last Test coming in 2018 and T20I in 2021, Dhawan was a one-format player until his axe from the ODI set-up. His immediate focus is on the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL), where he will be leading Punjab Kings (PBKS) for the first time. Dhawan is back from a 10-day training stint at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru. In another week, he will be in Mohali for a pre-IPL camp with PBKS.

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"My IPL preparation is going on well. I was in Bangalore for ten days. The focus was on fitness. With the IPL coming up, I will join the camp in Mohali on February 24. We will regroup and get going again later on. I am in a perfect state of mind and looking forward to leading from the front," Dhawan continued.

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During the Formula E weekend in Hyderabad, Dhawan also got to catch up with the legendary former Indian Master Blaster Sachin Tendulkar, whose passion for cars and motorsport is well-known. He said about his first time at a Formula E race, "It is always lovely to meet Sachin paaji. He has got a great passion towards sports cars."

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"It was a great experience. I took a lap of the track. I see a lot of potential for Formula E in India as it is sustainable and promotes a healthy environment. Since it is organised mainly on public roads, it should gather a lot of ground in India," concluded Dhawan.

(With inputs from PTI)