Shikhar Dhawan looks to turn things around in the 3rd ODI against Windies

India opener Shikhar Dhawan will look to turn things around in Pune during the third ODI against the Windies come Saturday. The left-hander has had a fairly ordinary record in the ongoing 5-match ODI series, managing a mere 33 runs in the first two encounters. He was dismissed for 4 in the first game at Guwahati. Although he got off to a start in Vishakhapatnam, couldn’t carry his innings forward and walked back for 29.

While Dhawan has scored plenty of runs against oppositions around the globe, his past records reflect that he has failed to make the same impact against the Windies. In the ongoing series, his teammates have scored heavily – Rohit Sharma got a fabulous century in the first ODI, while the prodigious Virat Kohli has got back to back hundreds in the series so far. The opener will hence have to make the most of his opportunity in the third one-dayer at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune.

Dhawan’s average and strike rate against the Windies are the second worst in comparison to his numbers against other teams where he’s featured in a minimum of eight matches. Meanwhile, his scoring record against the boys from the Caribbean also looks rather dismal – in the last five matches, he’s managed to amass a mere 44 runs at 8.80, with just one double-digit score.

Nevertheless, a great year of ODI cricket for Dhawan

But the left-hander has had a stellar year of One-Day International cricket so far, which will certainly boost his confidence. He has scored more than 800 ODI runs in two consecutive years now. He has also maintained an impressive average of 54.53, which is his best in any year during his batting career. Dhawan also bagged the man of the series award in India’s victorious Asia Cup campaign in the UAE. He amassed 344 runs in the tournament, scoring two brilliant centuries against Hong Kong and Pakistan.

India currently lead the ODI series 1-0 after the Windies surprisingly enforced a draw in the second one-dayer at Vishakhapatnam. The third match will take place at Pune, with the series moving to Mumbai’s Brabourne Stadium for the fourth game. The 5th and final ODI will be hosted by Thiruvananthapuram’s Greenfield International Stadium.

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