Left-handed batter Shikhar Dhawan is currently leading Team India in the ongoing three-match ODI series against New Zealand. The seasoned pro showed what he is made of against the hosts, as he played a knock of 72 in the first ODI, and formed a 124-run stand for the opening wicket alongside Shubman Gill. Ahead of the first ODI, former Team India head coach Ravi Shastri praised Dhawan, saying the left-hander does not get the accolades that he really deserves.
Speaking during Pre-Match Coverage of Prime Video for the 1st ODI, Shastri said: "He's vastly experienced. He doesn't get the accolades that he deserves. To be honest, most of the spotlight is on Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. But when you look at his one-day cricket record, and you look at some of the innings he has played against top teams in big games, it's an outstanding record."
"A left-hander at the top makes a lot of difference. He is a natural stroke player, he has got all the shots to countertop class fast bowling, the pull, the cut, and the drive. He likes it when the ball is coming onto the bat, and I think his experience will be handy here. There are a lot of talented youngsters around, but I think in this format of the game, his experience will be in value," he added.
In the ongoing first ODI, Team India posted 306/7 in 50 overs after being asked to bat first.
Dhawan (72), Shreyas Iyer (80) and Shubman Gill (50) all played quality knocks and in the end, Washington Sundar's unbeaten 37-run knock of 16 balls helped India post more than 300 runs on the board.
Both India and New Zealand will square off in the second ODI on Sunday.