Shikhar Dhawan Gives Big Update On Ravindra Jadeja's Fitness Ahead Of 1st ODI vs West Indies

Ahead of the first ODI against West Indies on Friday, India captain Shikhar Dhawan provided a big update on the fitness of Ravindra Jadeja, saying the all-rounder has a bit of a niggle right now and he does not know whether he will be fit to take the field in the first game. For the three-match ODIs, several regulars like Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant, and Jasprit Bumrah have been rested.

"Right now, he has a bit of a niggle so we don't know whether he will be ready or not for the first ODI. Other than that, Siraj is there, Prasidh is there, and we have got amazing fast bowling. In spin, Axar Patel is there and Yuzvendra Chahal is there, we have a good bunch of bowling unit so it will be very impactful," said Dhawan during a pre-match press conference.

When asked whether he is excited to lead the side, Dhawan said: "I am quite excited to lead the side, whenever you get an opportunity to lead the youngsters, I share my experiences with them, I always love to share my experiences and bring impact in their games. Everyone has the skill, but it is also about the mental aspect and hence I share my experiences."

"We were not able to train because of rain but everyone is excited. There are youngsters in the team and they have done well in the UK, so not training here will not impact them much. It is a quite balanced side, we have both experience and youth. Suryakumar Yadav for example is very experienced, he is young in terms of international cricket, but the kind of maturity he has, Shreyas and Shardul are also playing for a long time," he added.

Earlier this week, Shikhar Dhawan shared a funny reel on Instagram, in which several members of the side followed the 'Hey trend'. The biggest surprise was head coach Rahul Dravid's cameo.

"I have a very good relationship with Rahul Dravid bhai, we went to the Sri Lanka tour together last year and from there, we formed a very good bond. We have an understanding, I feel my energy brings people together, and there is a light-hearted mood. Recently, I made an Instagram Reel and Rahul bhai featured in that. In today's world, there are reels and all, earlier it used to be team dinners," said Dhawan.

When asked whether he pays attention to the people who criticise him over form, the left-handed batter said: "Everyone has their own opinion, I know what I need to do and what I do not need to. I don't pay attention to what is being said. I have grown habitual of hearing what people have to say. 1-2 games can go sideways, I do not get tensed after that. International cricket comes with its pressure, but the pressure isn't that much, that it changes my personality or my playing style. I have a lot of self-belief in myself and our team will step onto the field with confidence."

Topics mentioned in this article

West Indies vs India, 2022 West Indies Cricket Team India Cricket Team Shikhar Dhawan Ravindra Jadeja Cricket