Dhawan to fly home to attend ailing mother, to miss 5th ODI

0addca4e-7807-4af7-b36a-95b351c8e4ba Dhawan scored a brilliant ton today to take India home. Image Source: XtraTime
Shikhar Dhawan is returning to India ahead of the 5th ODI. File Pic

Internet Desk: India opener Shikhar Dhawan will be leaving for home tomorrow to attend his ailing mother. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) said in a statement that the opener will be flying back to India and as such will be available for the remaining two matches of the series.

The statement also added that Shikhar’s mother is stable and is recovering well.

The selection committee has not named any replacement for the remaining two fixtures left to play. The left-handed opener, who has been in great form since the ICC Champions Trophy, scored an unbeaten 132, 49, 5 and 4.

It can well be a blessing in disguise for the team management as they can now try Ajinkya Rahane to open the batting with Rohit Sharma. Rahane has earlier opened the batting in Indian Premier League (IPL) for Rising Pune Supergiants. The team management also has the choice of asking KL Rahul to open, the batsman having struggled after being slotted into the middle order. Rahane, who was the Man-of-the-Series in the West Indies, is yet to play a game in this series.

Meanwhile the Indian cricketers had a consecutive two days off from practice. Few cricketers went to Lasith Malinga’s residence to attend a dinner last night while a few including the Indian captain Virat Kohli went to Aravinda de Silva’s place for dinner.