Shikhar Dhawan might have managed to score just 49 runs in the four matches of the tri-series before the World Cup, but his fantastic 137 versus South Africa on Sunday transformed him from a member of the Indian cricket team to national hero. After all, his Man of the Match award winning knock took India to their first win against the Proteas in the World Cup. The knock was of course instrumental in India overcoming potentially their biggest threat in the group stage, but also perhaps has helped boost Dhawan's brand value. According to well known image consultant Dilip Cherian, "Shikhar Dhawan represents an opportunity for advertisers. We can't yet make out whether he would be attractive or not, but certainly a performance like this is bound to put him in the league of those who would be looked at with interest by investors."
There is no doubt that 29 year old Dhawan is the kind of sporting hero that youngsters in the country idolise - fearless on the field and capable of winning a match single-handedly on his day. Then of course, there is that trademark twirl of the moustache, that might be a gesture associated with a bygone era in Indian culture but one that will always be seen as an endearing one and greeted with a smile in any part of the country even today. Legendary ad film maker Prahlad Kakkar told NDTV, "He has got a style of his own, with the moustache, he is a throwback. He is not particularly modern, he is a traditionalist and I think a lot of the rural folk in this country would just love it. He appeals to them completely, he is their kind of boy."
One century never did much for any player's brand value. Consistency is the key. Kakkar cites the example of Virat Kohli, who is in the big boys' club of endorsements, along with the likes of Sachin Tendulkar and MS Dhoni, thanks largely to his incredible consistency. Dhawan's 137 versus the Proteas captured the imagination of the entire country and that has potentially got advertisers interested, but he will have to keep his foot on the pedal to climb the endorsements ladder.
According to Prahlad Kakkar, "You have to gatecrash the party. Nobody goes looking for anybody. Trust me, when Gavaskar was retiring, everybody said now what will happen to Indian cricket and up came young Sachin. When Sachin was retiring there was Dhoni. Now when Dhoni is about to retire there is young Virat. So nobody looks for a hero, a hero arrives."
A lot of people wanted Dhawan to be dropped after he hit an extended lean patch recently. The likes of NDTV expert Sunil Gavaskar though felt that the team should keep backing the swashbuckling southpaw. The faith in Dhawan seems to have paid off for now. The question is has the real Shikhar Dhawan well and truly arrived?