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The Board of Control for Cricket in India has finally revealed the country's squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup and several notable names have missed out, including leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal and Shikhar Dhawan.
Chahal and Dhawan aren't even part of the traveling reserves, with the experienced campaigners shunned in favor of younger talents like Rahul Chahar and Ishan Kishan. The decision was met with shock since India were expected to stay risk-free with their squad selection for the marquee tournament.
Here are three reasons why Shikhar Dhawan should've been picked in India squad for the T20 World Cup 2021.
#3 Shikhar Dhawan has been in excellent form in the recent past
When the 2021 Indian Premier League (IPL) came to a stop earlier this year, Shikhar Dhawan finished at the top of the Orange Cap list. Amassing 380 runs in eight games at an average of 54.28 and a strike rate of 134.27, the southpaw got the Delhi Capitals off to excellent starts on a consistent basis.
Then, appointed as the captain of India's limited-overs tour of Sri Lanka, Dhawan led the national team to an ODI series victory and a remarkable fight in the T20I leg despite losing several key players. He appeared to be in good nick throughout the assignment and led from the front.
Even in IPL 2020 which was conducted in the UAE, which is the T20 World Cup venue, Dhawan was second on the run-getters list with 618 runs at an average of 44.14 and a strike rate of 144.73 as the Capitals reached the final for the first time in their history.
Dhawan has been exceptional in the recent past, and would've been a valuable option on the bench at least.
#2 Shikhar Dhawan's record in ICC tournaments is stellar
Right from the 2013 Champions Trophy, where he finished as the leading run-getter in India's run to the title, Shikhar Dhawan has been a consistent performer in ICC tournaments.
Across the T20 World Cup and the 50-over World Cup, the 35-year-old has racked up over a thousand runs with an average in the mid-sixties.
As someone who has a track record of turning up on the big stage, Dhawan would've been an invaluable addition to a team that seeks to correct their record of falling short in tough circumstances.
Click here for the T20 World Cup 2021 live streaming details.
#1 Shikhar Dhawan would've lent experience and leadership as a backup opener
India have opted for youth in their T20 World Cup 2021 squads.
Ishan Kishan, who is still a greenhorn at the international level despite a few eye-catching knocks, has been picked presumably as the backup opener. Kishan has played in the top order for the Men in Blue throughout his short international career, but how he handles the pressure of an ICC tournament remains to be seen.
Meanwhile, Rohit Sharma is expected to open with KL Rahul. Apart from Rohit having an excellent understanding with Dhawan, Rahul and the Mumbai Indians skipper are very similar batsmen. Not only are they both right-handed, but they also take some time to get going.
Dhawan would've added a different dimension featuring experience, leadership and versatility to the opening combination. Kishan and Rahul are class batsmen, but can they live up to Dhawan's previous ICC exploits? Only time will tell.
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