Shikhar Dhawan should have been forced to play earlier: Anil Kumble

Shikhar Dhawan

Former captain Anil Kumble feels that sending Shikhar Dhawan out to bat earlier could have saved the match for India, had the team management forced him.

Dhawan was injured during a session at the nets before the fourth day’s play in the second Test match. Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni blamed the condition of the practice pitches for the injury.

Kumble, however, was in no mood to accept that as the reason behind Dhawan’s late appearance on the pitch on the fourth day. He said that he should have been forced to bat earlier despite the opener’s reluctance to do so.

Dhawan’s mind was not in the right state: Kumble

“It probably was a reflection of Dhawan's state of mind. He would have been aware that his place in the XI was in question after three failures and one more poor score would have done him in,” said Kumble.

He continued, “This is where the team management should have stepped in and made the decision to send him in after the first one or two wickets.”

Dhawan came out to bat after India had suffered a collapse and his 81 could not prevent India from losing.

Sunil Gavaskar also lambasted India for making excuses and shrugged off Dhoni’s suggestions that Virat Kohli did not get enough time to prepare before he was asked to go out and bat. He said that India should have been prepared for any eventuality and should have had Kohli prepared.