Team India opener Shikhar Dhawan is ready to make the comeback into the Indian side after missing the five-match ODI series against Australia. The 31-year-old, who was in imperious form during India's tour to Sri Lanka in August-September decided to skip the final ODI of the five-match series and the one-off T20I in the island nation to be with his ailing wife.
Ahead of the first T20I, starting October 7, the Delhi dasher opened up about quite a few interesting incidents involving his India teammates during an interview with the NDTV.
When asked about MS Dhoni's one-liners, Dhawan had no hesitation in sharing one of the quirkiest lines from the wicketkeeper-batsman, who is known for his witty remarks from behind the stumps.
Apart from his finishing capabilities and fast hands, Dhoni has always been known for his on-field comments, which are often picked up by the stump-mic. From guiding young bowlers to silencing his critics at press conferences, the Ranchi hero has often come up with some cheeky lines to get his job done.
"When he [Dhoni] sneezes, he says 'Bhagwan mujhe nahin isko uthaale' [God take him with you, not me]," Dhawan, who often stands next to Dhoni in the slip cordon, said.
Nehra's 'love' for cricket
The left-hander also heaped praise of veteran pacer Ashish Nehra, who has once again returned to the Indian dressing room. The 38-year-old, who last played for India against England in a T20I series earlier this year, was named in the 15-man squad for the upcoming T20I series against Australia.
Also read: India squad for the T20I series
While relatively younger players of the likes of Yuvraj SIngh and Suresh Raina are finding it difficult to seal a spot in the star-studded Indian line-up, Nehra is surely not having any problem. Known for his wicket-taking abilities, the Delhi pacer reportedly even passed the Yo-Yo fitness test that is proving to to be tough nut to crack to quite a few big names.
While describing Nehra's ability to make a comeback at 38, Dhawan said:" Determination, love towards the game and hard work."
Dhawan's secret for success
Dhawan also shed light on how he managed to win the faith of the Indian selectors after being dropped from the Indian squad last year. The aggressive opener axed from the Indian side that took on England in a five-match ODI series last year after poor performances during the 2016 season. The Delhi batsman was also not part of Tests against Bangladesh and Australia earlier this year.
However, after some strong domestic performances and a solid Indian Premier League 2017 run (479 runs from 14 matches), Dhawan made it back to the side for the Champions Trophy campaign and has moulded himself into an indispensable member of Virat Kohli's team ever since.
"It was a hard time for me because I was giving my best but things were not going my way. But, I kept my process going. I increased my training and skill work and made myself more fit. During that time also, I wanted to be happy and enjoyed playing Ranji Trophy for Delhi. By the grace of God, things fell back in place again and I got a call for the Champions Trophy," Dhawan said.
