Shikhar Dhawan will lead India in the ODIs against the Windies. Meanwhile, he has affirmed that he pays no heed to outside talks and keeps performing to prove his worth.
It will be another litmus test for Team India as it takes on the Windies in a three-game One-Day International (ODI) series in the Caribbean from Friday. The opening match is set to be played at the Queen's Park Oval in Port of Spain, Trinidad & Tobago. Senior opener Shikhar Dhawan would lead the visitors, his second stint as the leader, having led the side last year during the tour of Sri Lanka. Although Dhawan has been decent with his batting form in the format, there have been constant criticisms regarding his consistency. Nevertheless, he has decided not to heed the fuss and prove his worth with the bat.
"I don't feel odd. I have been hearing it for ten years. People keep talking, and I keep performing. If I had listened to them, I wouldn't be where I am today. I'm not too worried since I possess the experience. As long as I keep self-analysing and improving, nothing else will matter," Dhawan said during the pre-game press conference on Thursday, reports IANS.
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"We want to create the kind of energy where we put belief in each other and ensure that the results take care of themselves. There is pressure in international cricket, but it's not the kind that will change my character or gameplay. I have a lot of trusts within myself and my team," added Dhawan.
Speaking on his boding with Team India head coach Rahul Dravid, Dhawan mentioned, "We maintain a great bond. We had been to Sri Lanka and communed well there. There is an excellent interpretation between us. I feel my energy and nature are such that we're all together. The liveliness that is within the group creates a good bind. There's always fun and games and quite some laughter. Earlier, we used to have team dinners and activities. Now, we perform reels too. If people are content with it, it makes us glad."
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Dhawan concluded by speaking about his experience working with the youngsters in the side, as he cited, "I'm very enthusiastic. Whenever I work with youngsters, I feel I can share my knowledge with them. Everyone is into skill work, but I like to speak about the mental aspect and bring an impact to their games."