Former Indian cricketer Aakash Chopra has opined that veteran opener Shikhar Dhawan’s international career could end following his omission from the squad for the ODI World Cup 2023. Chopra believes it will be challenging for Dhawan to return to the Indian cricket team, especially given his absence from the T20I format and the long gap until the next World Cup in 2027.
Shikhar Dhawan was left out of India’s 15-member provisional squad for the ODI World Cup 2023 and was not included in the squad for the ongoing Asia Cup 2023. With Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, and Ishan Kishan as India’s preferred opening choices for the global event, Dhawan’s exclusion indicates a shift in the selector’s plans.
Aakash Chopra shared his thoughts on Dhawan’s international future in a video on his YouTube channel. Considering the circumstances, he acknowledged that Dhawan’s career may be reaching its conclusion.
“If we look towards Shikhar Dhawan’s ODI career, he doesn’t play T20Is in any case, where does he stand, and is it actually almost over because the next World Cup is very far away – 2027?” Chopra said.
The former cricketer didn’t write off Dhawan’s chances entirely but emphasized the challenges ahead.
“I am not writing an obituary, that he is done and won’t play again, but it is slightly difficult for sure because if the next World Cup is in 2027 and he is not picked in T20Is, it will become very difficult to play for India. Even if that happens, I would say Shikhar Dhawan should be extremely proud of what he has done,” Chopra added.
Shikhar Dhawan, who played a pivotal role in India’s ODI team for almost a decade, last represented the national team in December. Despite being dropped due to inconsistent performances, Dhawan has handled his omission from the team with grace and maturity, earning praise from Aakash Chopra.
Chopra stated, “The guy is doing a classy job. When the team was announced, a lot of people, including myself, felt he had been wronged, that his name should have been in that list, that he should have been in the scheme of things, but he is not there. When the team was announced, he could be bitter, but he wasn’t bitter.”
Former Indian cricketer concluded, “If you see the last five to seven years, Shikhar Dhawan is not bitter. He has started viewing things with great maturity. I know the 20-year-old Shikhar, he used to be a different boy, who had a lot of aggression and used to get flared up quickly, maybe short-tempered.”
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Shikhar Dhawan’s omission from India’s ODI World Cup squad raises questions about his international future. While Aakash Chopra believes it could be challenging for Dhawan to stage a comeback, the veteran opener’s distinguished career and contributions to Indian cricket will always be remembered with pride. Dhawan’s ability to adapt and evolve in the face of challenges will determine whether he can return to the national team.
India’s World Cup 2023 squad: Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (wk), Suryakumar Yadav, Ishan Kishan (wk), Hardik Pandya (vc), Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj, Kuldeep Yadav.
