Rishi Dhawan sure he'll carry all-rounder tag well

NAGPUR: For a player, who is now the second highest wicket-taker for his state, it's hard to believe he started out as a top-order batsman. In fact, he has scored a triple century in the Cooch Behar Trophy. Rishi Dhawan is now only behind Vikramjeet Malik in the all time wicket-takers for Himachal Pradesh. He has been the highest wicket-taker for Himachal Pradesh in the Ranji Trophy for the last four years.Now, he is very close to achieving his ultimate dream — to represent the country.
His consistent performances with both bat and ball over the years have now been rewarded with a berth in the Indian One-day squad for the tour Down Under next month. It was only last year that he got a chance in the India 'A' squad for the Quadrangular Series in Australia. Dhawan proved his all-round credentials when he won the final with an unbeaten 56 (55b, 4x4) and shared a match-winning stand of 93 for the seventh wicket with Axar Patel when the team was under pressure.
Dhawan now wants to do the same for Team India. "It's a great feeling to be a part of the Indian squad. I feel my performances in the domestic circuit have been recognized. I will try my best to justify my selection. International cricket is the toughest test, but I feel I am better prepared now," Dhawan told TOI.
India have been struggling with a genuine all-rounder for long. One-day skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni has often stressed on the need of having all-rounders in the side. Dhawan averages over 40 with the bat in First Class cricket, while his average in List A matches is close to 40. Add to that his impressive strike-rate of 94.69 and you know why Dhawan can do a good job especially on wickets which have movement. He averages 25.79 with the ball in First Class and 31 in the List A.
"I consider myself to be a genuine all-rounder. I have batted at the top in junior cricket and this season I have started batting in the middle-order, which gives me more opportunities to prove my credentials with the bat," Dhawan said.
The 25-year-old doesn't bother about the criticism that has always confronted him about bagging wickets only in helpful conditions. The pitch at his home ground in Dharamshala offers plenty of assistance to the pacers. "I don't play all the matches there. You only get to play half of your matches at your home ground. See, my job is to perform. I have bowled in all kinds of conditions in India and have taken wickets. I have also scored runs in different conditions," he stressed.
Playing for Mumbai Indians and Kings XI Punjab in the IPL has also helped Dhawan to grow as a cricketer. "IPL is a great platform if you want to learn and improve your game. You get to learn so many things from the legends of the game. When I was in MI, Sachin Paaji always told me to concentrate equally on both bowling and batting. Even in Kings XI Punjab, I have worked hard on my game with Sanjay (Bangar) sir. To watch players like Virender Sehwag, Ricky Ponting, Mitchell Johnson prepare for the game is a great experience. Hopefully, those things will help me when I play for my country," he said.