Perth: Shikhar Dhawan, who has given excellent starts to India in their matches against Pakistan and South Africa, attributed his return to form to the support from his colleagues — including team director Ravi Shastri.
“I am able to score runs today because my teammates and support staff have supported me immensely. Ravi Shastri’s presence is very big on our side and he has always given me lots of confidence and positivity when I needed it,” he said ahead of Saturday’s match against the UAE.
When Dhawan was asked whether he was able to score freely because he had got used to the bounce of Australian wickets, he laughed and said: “You can say that I’ve finally gotten used to the bounce. I always have lots of shots and I enjoy playing my shots, so whenever I get a chance, or whenever I get loose deliveries, I go for my shots.
“It’s good to see it’s going the way I want and I’m enjoying it.”
So what has been the secret behind his getting back to form? “Just staying calm and working hard and keeping my work ethic strong,” he said.
“Of course it’s always a learning thing. I enjoy the journey rather than the destination. So I was enjoying that phase of my life too, and I learned a lot.’
Many newspapers had given the headline ‘Local boy hits century’ when Dhawan scored his ton against South Africa, due to the fact he owns a house in Melbourne and spends much of his time there.
When asked if he felt at home in Australia, Dhawan said: “Australia is a very beautiful country. I’ve got a home here now and my family lives here, so I enjoy coming here. I always have a good time here.
“This is the first time I’ve stayed in Australia for such a long time. According to me, it is one of the best places to play cricket and I really enjoy my cricket here.”
Dhawan also revealed that they would take on the UAE without their coach Duncan Fletcher, who had to fly to Cape Town to attend the funeral of his father-in-law.
