India vs England: Shikhar Dhawan matches Virender Sehwag and Virat Kohli with THIS record

Having lost his place in the T20 playing XI, Shikhar Dhawan was under pressure to perform in the opening ODI with India spoilt for choice in all batting positions.

India opener Shikhar Dhawan en route to scoring 98 in the first ODI against England at Pune. (Photo: PTI)

India opener Shikhar Dhawan, who hit a match-winning 98 in the first ODI against England after warming the bench for the major part of the T20 series, on Tuesday (March 23) said international cricket is all about pressure and as an experienced player he knows how to handle it. 

This was the fifth time Dhawan has got out in the nervous nineties in ODI cricket. In total, he has 6 scores in the nineties in ODI cricket, the third most for an Indian player in the 50-over format.

Sachin Tendulkar had finished his career with as many as 18 scores in the 90s in ODIs. Former India captain Mohammad Azharuddin is on the second spot on the unwanted list with 7 scores in the nineties. Having lost his place in the T20 playing XI, Dhawan was under pressure to perform in the opening ODI with India spoilt for choice in all batting positions. 

“(In) international cricket, pressure is always there and the thing is as an experienced player, I know how to handle pressure. 

“...And secondly, as I said, I am experienced player, so I know what shots to play on what certain wickets and we read the wicket nicely and communicate very nicely in the batting unit and that’s what we did and that worked for us,” the southpaw said, at the virtual post-match press conference.

Happy to contribute to the TEAM always Well played boys #Gabbar pic.twitter.com/MBnRiS9jL8 — Shikhar Dhawan (@SDhawan25) March 23, 2021

Dhawan, who was benched after the first T20 of the five-match, explained how he kept himself positive. 

“I was focusing on my process, fitness, skill-work, gym-work and I always stay in a positive mental space. I always try and look at positives from every situation. That’s what I was doing. I was confident with my batting. I knew that if I get an opportunity, I’ll take it,” the elegant left-hander added. 

Dhawan also said that conditions at the MCA stadium on Tuesday were seaming and swinging. 

“It was seaming and swinging so, it wouldn’t have made any sense if you would have gone hard at the start, losing two-three wickets, so our plan was just stay on the wicket and respect the good deliveries and we knew that, we can always cash those runs later on,” he signed off.

Most scores in the 90s by an Indian batsmen in ODIs

Sachin Tendulkar - 18

Mohammad Azharuddin - 7

Shikhar Dhawan - 6

Virender Sehwag - 6

Virat Kohli - 6

Sourav Ganguly - 6

MS Dhoni - 6

(with PTI inputs)