Shikhar Dhawan is always being made the scapegoat: Sunil Gavaskar

After losing the first Test in Birmingham the Indian team was expected to make a few changes in the line-up for the second Test at Lord’s. Skipper Virat Kohli at the toss said that they’ve added Cheteshwar Pujara and Kuldeep Yadav in the squad at the cost of Shikhar Dhawan and Umesh Yadav. While most wanted them to feature two spinners Dhawan’s axing was a bizarre move for experts like former Indian opener Sunil Gavaskar.

Dhawan looked very positive at Edgbaston, he had assured footwork even early in the innings he played his shots and got out trying the same. Gavaskar thinks the team management has made the left-hander a scapegoat. As far as the runs are concerned Dhawan scored 26 and 13 in the two innings whereas his partner Murali Vijay was dismissed for 20 and 6.

Don’t agree with the decision

The legend said if they cannot give him more than a Test what is the point of even picking him in the squad for overseas tours.

“I don’t agree with this decision (to drop Shikhar Dhawan). Shikhar Dhawan is always being made the scapegoat. In the last match, he scored more runs than Murali Vijay. It is not right to drop him after every match. If you have to drop him after every match, why do you take him on tour?,” Gavaskar said while speaking on Sony during the broadcast.

The Indian team decided to push KL Rahul back to the opening slot after being slotted at no.3 in the first Test as they included Pujara who would take back his regular spot.

VVS Laxman was also disappointed with the decision as he further read into the performance of the Indian top four. Vijay, Dhawan, Rahul and Pujara in overseas Tests since 2015 the averages of all these cricketers is largely in the same range and thus it proves that if Dhawan has failed so have all the others.

“I am really surprised at why the axe has to fall on Shikhar Dhawan and not the other batsmen. When the numbers say that it’s not only Dhawan who has been struggling since 2015 overseas, it’s all the top four batsmen. Yes, he didn’t have the numbers backing him but neither did the other three batsmen,” Laxman said while talking on ESPNCricinfo.

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