Failure teaches you a lot and I am lucky I have learnt so much out of that: Shikhar Dhawan

It’s no secret that Shikhar Dhawan is a whole new entity when it comes to ICC events. To put things into perspective, in the 2013 ICC Champions Trophy, he amassed two centuries and a fifty. He did an encore of the same feat at the 2015 World Cup, and also came up with significant contributions in the 2017 edition of the Champions Trophy that concluded in June. However, between the said events, he has had a few slips that have resulted in him being out of the reckoning on a few occasions.

But since his latest comeback, Dhawan has gone from strength to strength with each performance, reaffirming and consolidating his place as one of the key members of the Indian team. Dhawan’s latest contribution off his willow was an unbeaten 132 in the ODI series opener against Sri Lanka on Sunday. With the victory, the Men in Blue secure their biggest win in the format in terms of deliveries remaining.

Indian cricket to emphasize focus on fitness in the lead up to the 2019 World Cup

Speaking about his recent form Dhawan said, “I would like to keep performing well. That would be my goal because I don’t perform there are such great batsmen in our side that anyone can take the place. I embrace that period also. When I was not doing well I was just focusing on my processes. And when I am doing well, I am still focusing on my processes. I feel failure teaches you a lot and I am lucky I have learned so much out of that.”

Prior to the start of the ODI series against Sri Lanka, India’s chief selector, MSK Prasad, had stressed that the emphasis of Indian cricket going forward would be on fitness in the lead-up to the 2019 World Cup. Certain fitness parameters have been devised and strict adherence is compulsory, revealed Prasad. The chief selector also advocated a rotation policy to identify and nurture a better and a crop of players that would feature in the mega event in 2019.