Why it is wrong to pick Shikhar Dhawan over KL Rahul in T20Is

[Ankit_sharma03]

Why it is wrong to pick Shikhar Dhawan over KL Rahul in T20Is

 

India’s drawn T20I series against South Africa was a bit of a roadblock in their preparations for next year’s World T20. After all, they were the hosts, and despite missing some key bowling personnel, their top three alone had more T20I experience than the entire South Africa squad.

The number four position remains a talking point in Indian limited overs cricket. This is even more so when both Shreyas Iyer and Rishabh Pant expected to bat at four in their defeat in Bangalore. However, another talking point is the opening position – should Shikhar Dhawan be in the team over KL Rahul?

 

Comparing both records

Shikhar Dhawan did have a passable series against South Africa. However, Dhawan’s overall T20I statistics are quite mediocre.

Shikhar Dhawan in T20Is:

Innings – 54
Runs- 1,413
Average – 27.71
SR – 129.87
50s – 7
100s – 0

The 33-year-old has seven half-tons in 54 innings, making it one in every 7-8 matches. Not quite as prolific as should be the case for one of India’s finest ODI openers. He doesn’t even have a breathtaking strike-rate to hide behind.

In fact, Dhawan has been a below-par batsman in the shortest format of the game for the majority of his career. Since 2013, Dhawan has never averaged above 25 in T20Is in a calendar year, except for 2018.

In nine innings in 2019, Shikhar Dhawan hasn’t scored a 50 yet. Besides, his strike-rate has been a very low 112.42.

 

 

Contrast this to KL Rahul. The Kings XI Punjab opener, of whom no player has more IPL runs since 2018, has a fine T20I record.

Innings – 25
Runs – 899
Average – 42.81
SR – 148.11
50s – 5
100s – 2

In contrast to Dhawan, KL Rahul’s average in a calendar year has never dropped below 36. Moreover, he crosses 50 in every 3-4 innings, with a terrific strike-rate as well.

 

A solution

Beyond any doubt, KL Rahul is a superior option to Shikhar Dhawan in T20Is. It is quite extraordinary that one of India’s best T20I batsmen is simply warming the bench. He indubitably should be a part of the eleven in the shortest format of the game, no matter be it in the middle-order, since batting position doesn’t affect KL Rahul’s class in T20s: He averages 41.15 whilst opening, 31.67 at No. 3 and 87.00 at No. 4.

Another thing that India might consider doing is sending Kohli to open at play KL Rahul at No. 3. In the last seven years in the IPL, Kohli has scored 3773 runs from exactly 100 innings – he hit more runs and more hundreds than any other player in the tournament. Out of the 100 innings he batted, 55 came as opener where he scored runs at an average of 52.21 and SR of 143.63.

—–

So, will it be KL Rahul to open the batting by the time the World T20 comes around? It would certainly be unfair to keep Rahul on the sidelines in T20Is before the tournament, and then have pressure placed on him to perform right away on the big stage.

To be honest, in my opinion at least, Shikhar Dhawan can act as a back-up opening batsman in the shortest format of the game. KL Rahul should definitely be preferred over Dhawan.

 

Link - https://cricblog.net/why-it-is-wrong-to-pick-shikhar-dhawan-over-kl-rahul-in-t20is/

[Forever Indian]

Clearly there are different yardsticks for different folks in this TM. And they clearly don't know how to monitor performance across formats.

[jf1gp_1]

I am already missing the jaddu sword celebration, cant afford to miss the kabbadi slap which obviously KL doesnt know. 

 

Let Rahul learn some fancy celebration method then we will talk about dropping Dhawan

[vvvslaxman]

Rohit/Dhawan/Kohli have this inseparable bonding.  But for irredeemable sucking Dhawan would still be playing Test matches.

[Stan AF]

Dude, you're in a thread opening spree. lol.

 

Okay to the point, I've been saying this a lot I'd like to see rishabh and kl open in t20s. For now i'll take kl opening with rohit.

[putrevus]

1 hour ago, vvvslaxman said:

Rohit/Dhawan/Kohli have this inseparable bonding.  But for irredeemable sucking Dhawan would still be playing Test matches.

Didn't someone start a topic about feud between Rohit and Kohli over some Instagram post.

[SK_IH]

Dhawan started as first choice opener in last 2 WT20s and then later got dropped before knockout stages in both the events because he had ordinary returns. However despite such results, he has kept his place in the T20 side. The TM still doesn't find any difference in ODIs and T20s, that's the nub of the issue.

[putrevus]

Just now, SK_IH said:

Dhawan started as first choice opener in last 2 WT20s and then later got dropped before knockout stages in both the events because he had ordinary returns. However despite such results, he has kept his place in the T20 side. The TM still doesn't find any difference in ODIs and T20s, that's the nub of the issue.

TM is unable to create any identity for this team for both ODI and T20s. They are just playing matches without any purpose.Until they do that this team will not win anything.

[Stan AF]

1 hour ago, vvvslaxman said:

Rohit/Dhawan/Kohli have this inseparable bonding.  But for irredeemable sucking Dhawan would still be playing Test matches.

I don't know. I feel there's certainly a storm between ro and ko. Ko & Dha are inseperable though

[vvvslaxman]

57 minutes ago, putrevus said:

Didn't someone start a topic about feud between Rohit and Kohli over some Instagram post.

Yes. But they are not going to give up on each other. 

[Ankit_sharma03]

3 hours ago, vvvslaxman said:

Rohit/Dhawan/Kohli have this inseparable bonding.  But for irredeemable sucking Dhawan would still be playing Test matches.

they got him back in SA n ENG it didnt work, had he played at home he wud have also been in squad till now 

[Ankit_sharma03]

https://www.hotstar.com/in/sports/cricket/syed-mushtaq-ali-trophy-2019/karnataka-vs-punjab-m193137/match-clips/rahuls-unbeaten-84-floors-punjab/1260014180

 

This is the best i hve seen KL bat after long.

 

Bat not twisting in hand

He played a lot of aerial shots which he cut down during his slump

Those pickup big shots

Those pull n hooks

high s/r

 

Looks like the last t20 innings against bang has given him confidence. Sadly Kohli will again make him warm bench for dhawan

 

 

[neel roy]

The only reason Dhawan gets picked is because of right and left combination. Pant is the obvious solution but the TM has other ideas. 

[Khota]

Dhawan deserves a playing spot in T20 and so does rahul. Some folks on ICF enjoy putting others down.

[zen]

Both Dhawan and Rohit can be benched to field younger players in T20s 

[Khota]

21 minutes ago, zen said:

Both Dhawan and Rohit can be benched to field younger players in T20s 

delete

Edited November 24, 2019 by Khota

[Ankit_sharma03]

29 minutes ago, Khota said:

Dhawan deserves a playing spot in T20 and so does rahul. Some folks on ICF enjoy putting others down.

what has he done to deserve a spot

 

• Poor t20 record
• Extremelty poor t20 World Cup record 
• Very poor 2019 t20 career
• Cant make runs in syed mushtaq ali 

 

 

Edited November 24, 2019 by Ankit_sharma03

[Khota]

6 hours ago, Ankit_sharma03 said:

what has he done to deserve a spot

 

• Poor t20 record
• Extremelty poor t20 World Cup record 
• Very poor 2019 t20 career
• Cant make runs in syed mushtaq ali 

 

 

He was one of the highest scorer of runs in IPL. How is that poor?

[Ankit_sharma03]

1 minute ago, Khota said:

He was one of the highest scorer of runs in IPL. How is that poor?

KL scored more runs in IPL then Dhawan by that logic also KL shud play n dhawan shud sit out .  u shud have also checked he played 2 more games then most of the batsman in IPL this year as well

 

he can go play IPL then , he doesnt deserve a place in Indian team coz he hasnt scored Runs for indian team in 2019 or in his whole career neither has current form.

[Khota]

2 hours ago, Ankit_sharma03 said:

KL scored more runs in IPL then Dhawan by that logic also KL shud play n dhawan shud sit out .  u shud have also checked he played 2 more games then most of the batsman in IPL this year as well

 

he can go play IPL then , he doesnt deserve a place in Indian team coz he hasnt scored Runs for indian team in 2019 or in his whole career neither has current form.

Only in ICF someone expects a top bat to sit out. Like I said you will never get it.