Internet Desk: India’s star opener Shikhar Dhawan played a brilliant knock of 190 runs off just 168 deliveries to power India to a huge total of 399/3 against hosts Sri Lanka at the end of Day 1 of the first Test at the Galle International stadium today. Dhawan was a late addition to the squad after Murali Vijay sustained an injury just ahead of the series. Dhawan was set to leave for Melbourne with his family to enjoy time with his family when the selectors called him to replace injured Vijay.
He shared a 253-run partnership with Cheteshwar Pujara, who remained unbeaten on 144.
“My plans were to go to Melbourne and enjoy time with my family and do training and get fit for the ODI series (vs Sri Lanka). I was in Hong Kong with family and from there I flew back to India and joined the team. That was my plan but I think destiny had different plans for me. I am happy and thankful to God.
“I was happy to make a comeback into the Test team. Unfortunately Murali Vijay wasn’t fit and I had a good run before this Test series and I just came with same mindset and same confidence, followed the same process in the nets and got myself ready for the Test series,” Dhawan said at the press conference.
Earlier in the innings Dhawan was dropped on 31 by Asela Gunaratne at slips and co incidentally he hit 31 boundaries in his play too.
Dhawan said he was disappointed that he couldn’t score a double hundred.
“I was disappointed that I got out on 190. I would have loved to score 200. But more than that I got out at a wrong time. The way I was playing I was confident that I will clear the mid-off fielder and I was almost hitting the boundaries every over. Unfortunately, it didn’t go my way,” he said.
“The special thing about this venue is that I am scoring runs here. Wicket was also good and there wasn’t much of spin on the wicket. But it still had true bounce and wicket on it. I feel that I batted well too. There wasn’t much turn and so I thought that I can attack the spinners.
When asked whether this was his best innings after the 187 he scored against Australia on his debut in Mohali, Dhawan replied,”Yes actually. My debut innings was more like this one and also the knock against Bangladesh… I scored a quick hundred. But this was better than that,” he said.
Dhawan also revealed that he always tries to stay happy with everyone, work hard on his training and leave the rest on fate.
“I have thought about the time when I was not scoring runs, when I was going through that lean patch. I knew that if I don’t score runs, I can get out of the team. I felt the pressure. When I got out of the side, it hurt me. But I moved on and played domestic cricket for Delhi team. I was enjoying myself. I don’t like to be sad all the time, I like to be happy. I knew that if things have to come, they will come my way. I don’t run around things. I just work on my game, my skills and fitness,” he concluded.