NEW DELHI: Shikhar Dhawan stagnate for years in the anonymity of domestic cricket. The Ferozeshah Kotla was his home during his anxious years waiting to join the Indian team.
Two more months from turning 37, Dhawan has landed in Delhi as captain of the Indian team, albeit one commonly referred to as the ‘second rope’. In recognition of his credit, the team held out against a powerful South African team, advancing into the third and final ODI with a 1-1 scoreline.
It was an emotional homecoming for Dhawan. His prospect of leading an Indian team at home was just the push he needed at the end of his career. Dhawan has always been a happy, lucky character, rarely showing the pressures he is under at various stages of the ticketing journey. He has forever suffered from proving a point and justifying his place in the Indian team. That he was once one of India’s top goalscorers in major tournaments was lost in the constant flood of cricket.
Removed from T20scheme of things, ODI cricket is all that Dhawan has left to assert his presence. With ODI World Cup in India another year, Dhawan is still not guaranteed a place. Consistency has never been a big deal for him. However, he seems to have fallen low in the pecking order. He is yet to hit the ground running in this streak, scoring 4 and 13 in his previous two games. So it will be hard to find someone more eager to hit the field on Tuesday than Dhawan himself. But the weather is a big threat.
On the eve of the match, the atmosphere was tense around Arun Jaitley Stadium. The weather finally calmed down for a few hours in the afternoon after four days of relentless rain. Ground personnel were finally able to take off their cover. Umpire Anil Chaudhary right in the central square, overseeing curator Ankit Datta’s attempt to frantically dry the entire ground.
The turf staff worked overtime to drain all the water from the turf surface. However, the ground seemed noticeably wet. The evening rain posed a problem. The ground staff were hoping for a few hours of sunshine on Tuesday morning to get a full match. For now, the chance of a full match seems far-fetched.
The Kotla Pitch has historically been low and slow. Over the past few years, it has made big scores in IPL. South Africa feel free to chase 211 here during a T20I this June. But the yard was covered for four days. Monday was the first time the curator could see the yard in three days. Definitely sweat and lots of moisture.
