File image of Shikhar Dhawan
The spotlight will be on two Indian players when the three-game series between India and Sri Lanka will begin in Guwahati from January 5 onwards. Fit-again Shikhar Dhawan is one, as he is making a comeback from the knee injury he incurred back in November during a domestic match. And ahead of the opener on Sunday, Dhawan said that he is looking to score as many runs as possible and win the T20 World Cup for India.
Dhawan will be heading into the series having seen KL Rahul piling ample runs over the last few T20I contests for India and hence is slowly taking the former's spot in the top-order lineup.
Moreover, there has been a massive drop in his performance which has urged veterans and analysts to put their weight behind Rahul as Rohit Sharma's opening partner. Following a record-breaking 2018 where he scored 689 runs at 40.52 with six half-centuries, Dhawan managed just 272 runs in 12 matches he played this year which no fifties at all. Moreover, his figures in the powerplay and thereafter in T20Is over the last two years has been well lower than Rohit's and Rahul's.
But Dhawan is confident of a strong comeback in the Sri Lanka series where he likely to play all the matches alongside Rahul in the opening slot given that the management has rested Rohit.
"Lots of injuries last year, but it's part and parcel of the game. It's a new year, looking forward to a new start. I always take things in a positive manner. Injuries are natural, just take them in my stride. Looking forward to score lots of runs this year, be a more impactful player, win matches for my team and win the World Cup. This series is a good opportunity for me to score runs. Am always developing my game, developing new shots," said Dhawan tod the broadcasters after the toss when the rain had intervened the start of the first T20I match at the Barsapara Stadium in Guwahati.
Besides Dhawan, the focus will also be on Bumrah, who will be playing his first international game on Sunday since September when he was sidelined with a back injury.
Meanwhile, India won the toss and opted to bowl first against Sri Lanka.
