"We need to appreciate what we’ve got in Dawid Malan": Graeme Swann

Despite Dawid Malan enduring an indifferent T20I series in India, Graeme Swann has backed his compatriot, saying the English batter’s skills and achievements should be appreciated and not criticised.

Ranked no. 1 in the ICC T20I batting rankings, Dawid Malan, on his first tour of India, scored 148 runs in the five T20I games at an average of 37 while striking at just over 120. His only fifty in the series came in the decider, but his 46-ball 68 wasn’t enough to help England win the series.

India win 🎉They beat England in the final T20I by 36 runs and take the series 3-2!#INDvENG | https://t.co/7vTTjtwucR pic.twitter.com/ZPlsDyFxxY

— ICC (@ICC) March 20, 2021

Dawid Malan has been mocked and criticised for his inability to make a difference in the India series. England, who started favourites for the white-ball part of the tour, lost 3-2 in the T20Is. Several pundits even questioned his place in the side ahead of Joe Root. However, Graeme Swann has come out in support of his embattled compatriot, saying:

“We’ve got a player who has got to world no. 1 in the format in a short amount of time, averaging 50 plus. He’s never played in India before, and then after two games, people are slating him,” Metro.co.uk quoted Graeme Swann. Honestly, it makes me shake my head sometimes. We need to appreciate what we’ve got in Dawid Malan. We’ve got someone who’s the world no. 1; he’s doing everything right. Yes, he didn’t have a brilliant series, but he scored runs in the last game (68 off 46 balls) and batted brilliantly. So it makes me shake my head, to be honest. I definitely don’t buy into it.”

Dawid Malan ahead of Virat Kohli and Babar Azam in T20I rankings

In his short career, Dawid Malan has made an enormous impact on the English side.

The 33-year-old reached 1,000 runs in just 24 T20I innings. He leads the T20I batting rankings ahead of the likes of Babar Azam and Virat Kohli, who are no. 3 and no. 5, respectively.

Dawid Malan becomes the fastest to score 1000 T20I runs achieving in just 24 innings!Previously, the record was held by Babar Azam who achieved this feat in 26 innings.#ENGvIND #DavidMalan@CricHassan @AqeelViews @aaliaaaliya

— CricFire (@cricfire) March 20, 2021

Highest averages for 1,000+ runs in T20Is

Dawid Malan tops the strike-rate chart in the list.

Eoin Morgan’s injury opened the door for Dawid Malan in the final two ODIs against India; Malan scored a fifty in the decider as England lost a close game.

The left-hander’s stay in India is set to be longer, as he will play his first IPL campaign. Punjab Kings picked him up in the IPL 2021 mini-auction for INR 1.5 crore. He is also set to play a crucial role for England in the T20 World Cup in India later this year.