Shikhar Dhawan and KL Rahul during 3rd T20I
Indian batsman Shikhar Dhawan on Friday gave Indian team management problem aplenty as he scored his comeback fifty, his first in T20Is in 14 months and tenth in his career, in the third and final T20I match of the series against Pune at the Maharashtra Association Cricket Stadium in Pune. Dhawan scored 52 runs en route to India's 201 for six and following the knock, the left-handed batsman revealed that the three in competition for India's opening slot for World T20 is "beautiful".
"The competition is very healthy among the three openers. We three are very good friends so that makes it beautiful," said Dhawan during the innings break in Pune
Rohit Sharma has already confirmed his spot for the opening position leaving the competition for the second spot open for Dhawan and Rahul. Dhawan managed only 272 runs at 22 an average at 110.68 in 2019 while Rahul scored runs at will during the former's injury absence in late 2019.
In the second T20I, they had scored a 71-run partnership in Indore where Dhawan managed 32. And in the final tie, the pair added 97 runs on the board with Dhawan scoring 52 off 38 deliveries while Rahul scored 54 runs.
"I am very happy with the way me and Rahul started the innings today. We both gave a good start to the team. I was playing good even in the last match when I scored 30 odd runs. I value those runs too. Once you are set, you have to make the most of it. We lost a lot of wickets in a bunch but after that we came back well and scored 200," Dhawan added.
India posted 201 at the loss of six wickets batting first. They are already 1-0 ahead in the series with their seven-wicket win in Indore. The opener was abandoned due to rain and wet patches on the Guwahati track.
