‘Ek tha jo hamesha muskurata rehta tha’ – Fans get emotional as Shikhar Dhawan deletes Insta post after missing out from ODI squad against SL

The Indian squad for the upcoming ODI and T20I series against Sri Lanka has undergone significant changes, with some senior players losing their places. The most significant change was the absence of Shikhar Dhawan from the ODI squad. Dhawan has had a rough patch in ODIs over the last few months. As a result, his exclusion from the team is not entirely unexpected.

However, it appears that the veteran batter has taken the development to his heart. In a now-deleted Instagram post, Dhawan wrote, “Gal jeet haar di nahi hundi, Jigrey di hundi hai. Kam kari chalo baaki hamesha Rabb di rza ch raho. (It is not about winning or losing, but about courage. We should do our work and leave the rest in God’s hands.)” The caption accompanied a clip of the veteran batter sharpening his skills in the nets.

Here is Shikhar Dhawan’s deleted post

Dhawan’s post has created a lot of buzz on social media. Fans applaud the Delhi batter for his positive attitude. Some were taken aback when Dhawan deleted the inspirational post. Dhawan’s recent ODI performances, meanwhile, have not instilled confidence in his batting ability. Furthermore, his place in the team was jeopardised after Ishan Kishan hit a double century in the third ODI against Bangladesh on December 10.

Dhawan made his ODI debut in 2010, but it was his memorable Test debut in 2013 that cemented his place in the Indian team. Dhawan has won millions of hearts over the last nine years with his attractive stroke play and affable personality.

The left-hander has consistently performed well in international cricket and the Indian T20 League. However, it appears that Dhawan’s stellar international career is coming to an end. With the ODI World Cup in 2023 on the horizon, selectors have favoured youngsters such as Ishan Kishan over Dhawan. However, die-hard Dhawan fans are rooting for the big-hitting opener to rediscover his form and return to the ODI team.

Here is how Twitter reacted