Shikhar Dhawan erupts against KL Rahul, refuses peace offering

KL Rahul and Shikhar Dhawan

One of the highlights of the morning session on Day 3 of the ongoing 4th Test in Delhi came about after an unfortunate misunderstanding within the India team, bringing about an on-field eruption from Shikhar Dhawan, carried away in the heat of battle.

Birthday boy Dhawan played an important hand before lunch was called, stretching India’s second innings lead to 264 after early blows saw Murali Vijay and Rohit Sharma dismissed cheaply.

This is how the incident came about, one which all players involved are sure to look back on and laugh one day in the future. Today, however, things were quite heated.

At the start of the 23rd over, Dhawan gestured to the India dressing room that he wanted a forearm guard, having been hit a while ago. He had also been out of action after fracturing his hand in the recent tour of Sri Lanka, and so the concern was understandable.

KL Rahul and Gurkeerat Singh, non-playing members of the squad, were seen coming out after a while. Dhawan was visibly upset at something, and unleashed a verbal attack on the two players. Rahul offered Dhawan a banana as a peace offering, which also the batsman refused.

Ravi Shastri could also be seen standing fuming while this on-field episode was played out. The slowness of the orders being followed out was at the source of the outburst.

What is apparent is that Dhawan was angry because he did not get medical attention quickly after he was hit by the rising delivery from Imran Tahir. He wanted a forearm guard and the magic spray quickly. The reserves, KL Rahul and Gurkeerat Mann were too slow in conveying the message and Dhawan vented his fury at them.

Dhawan was seen apologising to Rahul near the boundary ropes a little later.

One hopes not too much is read into Dhawan and Rahul being rivals for the opener’s slot in the India Test team.

KL Rahul, a better batsman, taking tantrums of Dhawan... #INDvSA

— Pâ?¹akash $inha (@Predicto_Praky) December 5, 2015

If KL RAHUL and Dhawan had exchanged places in that fit of rage, would have looked more apt IMO

— Tarun Raman (@raman_tarun) December 5, 2015

Both teams look solid this morning. We can rarely see Dhawan being angry, so lots of things happening this morning!!! #INDvsSA

— Divyamsh Nepal (@divunp_53) December 5, 2015