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.
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.
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.
"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.
"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."
"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)