Going into the series against Australia, the form of their openers was one of India`s major problems. Gautam Gambhir had been dropped and it was only a matter of time before Virender Sehwag was axed as well. In a scenario like this the selectors must have had no clue that the two new players they would subsequently chose as openers for the series against the Aussies would prove worth their weight in gold, especially given the fact that Murali Vijay was inexperienced and Shikhar Dhawan was yet to make his Test debut.
While Sehwag continued to struggle, Murali Vijay justified the faith put in him by Sandeep Patil and company by slamming a century in the Hyderabad Test. He, along with Cheteshwar Pujara, added 370 runs for the second wicket, while Australia managed to muster just 368 in both their innings. It was a classy knock from Murali Vijay and the selectors thought it was the right time to drop Sehwag and give Shikhar Dhawan a try.
While we were all aware of his ability, no one had expected Dhawan to come up with such a stellar performance this early in his career. Dhawan had failed on his international debut against the Aussies in 2010 when he was dismissed for a second ball duck.
He showed no signs of any nerve when he hit his first boundary - an elegant cover drive. And as the innings progressed, his emphatic innings pummelled the Aussies into submission, as he made his way into record books with the fastest ever ton on debut.
It was sensible of Murali Vijay to let his partner dominate the proceedings. While the Australian pacers initially bowled too full, Dhawan even dispatched the best of the deliveries to the fence.
While it would be foolish to compare Dhawan with Virender Sehwag just yet, the left-hander has already announced his arrival on the big stage. He scored runs at a brisk pace, something which India have been deprived of in the recent past. While he looked in a hurry to complete his century, his maturity in the latter half of the day only brought more praises for him. He charged down the wicket against both Doherty and Lyon, but ensured that the ball was kept well along the ground. His inning was special, and there is no doubt that Virender Sehwag will have to do something incredible to make a comeback.
The competition has been taken to the next level. For the last two years the Indian team struggled as both Gambhir and Sehwag failed to provide a solid partnership. The new openers have shown they have it in them to perform at the biggest stage, even though they still have to be tested against a better bowling attack and in overseas conditions. While Gambhir will inevitably find himself among the three openers in the squad, Dhawan can bask in the glory of his spectacular knock and twirl his moustache.
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts.
Cookies Setting
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device and the processing of information obtained via those cookies (including about your preferences, device and online activity) by us and our commercial partners to enhance site navigation, personalise ads, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. More information can be found in our Cookies and Privacy Policy. You can amend your cookie settings to reject non-essential cookies by clicking Cookie Settings below.
Manage Consent Preferences
Strictly Necessary Cookies
These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in or filling in forms. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work or you may not be able to login.
Functional Cookies
These cookies enable the website to provide enhanced functionality and personalisation. They may be set by us or by third party providers whose services we have added to our pages. If you do not allow these cookies then some or all of these services may not function properly.
Targeting Cookies
These cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. They are also used to limit the number of times you see an advert as well as help measure the effectiveness of an advertising campaign. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.
Performance Cookies
These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. If you do not allow these cookies we may not know when you have visited our site, and may not be able to monitor its performance.