New Delhi: For Shikhar Dhawan, hesitation and indecisiveness in taking decisions is a thing of the past and he as captain does not hesitate to take decisions which may not please a player but benefit the team. The left-handed batsman is all set to lead the Indian team in the three-match ODI series against New Zealand starting on Friday.
This is not the first time Dhawan will captain the team. Even before this, he has led India’s second-class team on a few occasions. Under his leadership, India won 3–2 against Sri Lanka and 2–1 against South Africa. The team had to face a 1-4 defeat to the West Indies while he was captain. The Delhi batsman said his decision-making abilities have improved with time.
Shikhar Dhawan told ESPNcricinfo, “The more you play, the more confident you are about your decisions. Earlier there used to be occasions when I used to show respect to a bowler by giving him the extra over but now I have matured and even if it hurts someone, I will take the decision which will benefit the team.
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Further talking about leadership skills, Dhawan said that it is important to maintain balance and win the trust of the players. He hardly feels the pressure and keeps his surroundings pleasant. Dhawan said, “When you play music on a stringed instrument, if the string is too loose it will not sound good or if the string is too tight it will break. So it is linked to creating balance. It is important to strike a balance as a captain.”
He said, “You have to know when to pull the strings and when to loosen them. It depends on the time. At this stage I have also understood when and how much to talk to the players. He said, “If a bowler is shot, it is important to know when to talk to him. I will not talk to him when it is hot in the atmosphere. Instead, I’ll talk to her casually later.”
Dhawan (Shikhar Dhawan) said, “It also depends on the level at which you are captaining. If it is IPL then most of the players mature, so you have to think whether to pull the strings or not. There are times in Ranji Trophy when you have to show determination because at that level some players are raw pitchers and you have to be determined to mold them. It’s important to maintain balance.” The 36-year-old was recently appointed as the captain of the Indian Premier League team Punjab Kings. (agency)