"Sorry to say but Shikhar Dhawan is finished"- Fans slam Dhawan for pace of his knock in 3rd ODI vs NZ

Team India's stand-in captain Shikhar Dhawan couldn't quite cash in on his start as he departed for just 28 off 45 deliveries in the third ODI against New Zealand at the Hagley Oval in Christchurch.

It was a tactic by Dhawan to run down the track every now and then to ensure that the Kiwi bowlers didn't settle into a line and length. However, he got himself into a tangle while doing the same against Adam Milne and could only inside edge the ball onto his pads and back to the stumps.

Fans on Twitter were disappointed to see Dhawan play yet another innings with a poor strike rate. Here are some of the reactions:

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Shikhar Dhawan's place in ODI team might be under threat

Shubman Gill has been absolutely sensational over the past few months in ODIs, and that has raised quite an intriguing debate about who Rohit Sharma's partner in the 2023 World Cup will be.

Shikhar Dhawan plays just one format for India and although he has scored a truckload of runs, his strike rate has been under the scanner of late. With ODI cricket moving at a quicker pace, it has become crucial for openers to accelerate once they get off to a good start.

Dhawan had a good chance in the third ODI to build on his cautious start, as he had done all the hard work of seeing off the new ball. He would be disappointed with his shot selection and rue the missed opportunity to get a big score.

India XI: Shikhar Dhawan (c), Shubman Gill, Shreyas Iyer, Rishabh Pant (wk), Suryakumar Yadav, Deepak Hooda, Washington Sundar, Deepak Chahar, Umran Malik, Arshdeep Singh, Yuzvendra Chahal.

New Zealand XI: Finn Allen, Devon Conway, Kane Williamson (c), Daryl Mitchell, Tom Latham (wk), Glenn Phillips, Mitchell Santner, Adam Milne, Matt Henry, Tim Southee, Lockie Ferguson.