It's a great honor for me to be captain of the Indian team: Shikhar Dhawan

India’s opening batsman Shikhar Dhawan is all set to don the captain hat as he will lead the Indian side during the India tour of Sri Lanka. The Indian skipper Virat Kohli is in the United Kingdom (UK) for the five-match Test series against England. Most of the main players including vice-captain Rohit Sharma have traveled to the UK.

Thus, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has named a 20-member squad including many young players for the Sri Lanka tour. India will square off against Sri Lanka in three One Day Internationals followed by three T20 Internationals, starting from July 13. 

In addition, former Indian skipper Rahul Dravid has been named as the coach for the limited-overs squad as Ravi Shastri has traveled with the main team to England. Speaking about the new phase of his cricket career, Dhawan exclaimed that it is a great honor for him to lead the Men in Blue. The veteran is hoping to build a positive environment for the players. 

“It’s a great honor for me to be captain of the Indian team. I am looking forward to it. I’ve played under Rahul Dravid’s coaching once for India A. We sync together really well and looking forward to the Sri Lanka series. We’ll build a lot of positive things. The aim is to build a happy environment,” Shikhar Dhawan said in the pre-departure press conference.

There is positivity, confidence in our team: Shikhar Dhawan

The 20-member squad announced by BCCI has six players who are likely to make their debut for the national team. Speaking about the limited-overs team, Dhawan reckoned that everybody is confident and there is a lot of excitement among the players.

“This is a very good team. There is positivity, confidence in our team and everybody is confident that we will do well. There is a lot of excitement. It is a new challenge but at the same time, it is a great opportunity for all of us to show our talent. 

“Everybody is waiting (for the tour to begin). 13-14 days have passed since we are in quarantine, so the players are waiting when we can hit the ground and we have 10-12 days for preparation. The team is a nice blend of experience and youth,” added Shikhar Dhawan.