“It’s a very human and normal thing” - Shikhar Dhawan on ego clashes in the Indian team

Out of favor Team India opener Shikhar Dhawan has stated that it is very normal to have egos and things are no different in the Indian cricket team. Without taking any names, the veteran cricketer philosophically stated that misunderstandings take place among team members as well because everyone is human.

There have been unconfirmed reports of ego clashes and camps in the Indian team. The rumors spread quickly, especially when the side doesn’t do well in big tournaments.

Dhawan, who was part of the Indian set-up for nearly a decade before being dropped recently, opened up on the prickly issue of ego clashes in the national team. In an interview with Aaj Tak, he said:

“It’s a very human and normal thing to have egos. We are together for (almost) 220 days. Sometimes there are misunderstandings between people. It’s the same with us as well. I am not speaking about Rohit (Sharma) or Virat (Kohli), but a general thing.

“We have a 40-member team, which includes support staff and managers. There could be some clashes and times when you are not happy with someone. It happens. And why not? When things improve, the love also increases.”

A number of unconfirmed reports have claimed that Rohit and Kohli do not get along well with each other. Both Indian superstars, however, have continuously denied that any such problem exists between the two.

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“Gill is doing very well and I am very happy for him” - Dhawan

On a personal front, Dhawan has been dropped from the ODI team, the only format he has played in the last couple of years.

However, the 37-year-old does not consider the ax as a low phase. He asserted that he is in a happy space and is looking forward to leading Punjab Kings (PBKS) in the IPL. Dhawan said:

“I am leading Punjab Kings this year. At this stage of a career, to lead a team is a big thing. At the same time, I have recently been left out of the Indian team. Before that, I led the team and both myself and the team performed well. So there are quite a few positives. As of now, I am not in the team, so that is also right.”

The veteran cricketer also praised young opener Shubman Gill, who replaced him in the Indian ODI squad. He stated:

"I am not looking at this as a high or low. It’s a natural phase. Every career has a shelf life. Shubman Gill has replaced me now and is performing really well. I did not do well in a couple of series.

"In the last couple of years, I was playing only one format and Shubman was playing the other two formats. He was in better flow since he was continuously playing in the Indian team. That’s why he got an entry into the ODI team. The decision (of the selectors) was a very good one. Gill is doing very well and I am very happy for him.”

Dhawan last turned out for India during their tour of Bangladesh in December last year. He had a poor one-day series, registering scores of 7, 8, and 3.