Discarded India opening batter Shikhar Dhawan played an anchor role in the IPL 2023 game against Rajasthan Royals. Batting first, he and Prabhsimran Singh provided a great start as they put together 90 runs in 9.4 overs. The latter scored 60 runs off 34 balls including seven fours and three sixes. On the other hand, Dhawan was batting on 26 off 24 balls including three fours.
After the wicket of Singh, the Kings skipper ended up scoring 85 off 56 balls including nine fours and three sixes. The left-hander’s innings helped the team reach 197/4 despite middle-order failure. In reply, despite being reduced to 124/6 in 15 overs, the likes of Shimron Hetmyer and Dhruv Jurel took the game close for the Royals but the team lost by five runs.
Shikhar Dhawan’s inning was fine but the run-a-ball approach might hurt: Harsha Bhogle
Meanwhile, after the game, renowned commentator Bhogle wrote about Dhawan’s innings on Twitter. The former said that Dhawan’s innings would raise the question of whether a team can have an anchor batter. A few hours later, Bhogle issued a clarification on the matter and spoke about other players who play the anchor role in the team.
“Shikhar Dhawan’s innings will raise, should raise, the question of whether you can have an anchor batter, especially in these conditions. You can appear to have increased your strike rate by the end, but the 30 balls at run-a-ball can hurt,” opined Bhogle.
“This topic is not specific to Shikhar today. We have been talking about it over the last 2-3 years; about fine players like KL Rahul, Babar Azam, at times even Virat Kohli & Jos Buttler. My view is that in a 150-160 game, you might consider that role but not in a 180-190 game,” he added.
This is how Twitter reacted
This is a poor take Harsha
Especially when it comes to virat in t20 internationals
He belongs to a different league, he strikes it at 140-150 at most times even after playing anchor which is absolutely NECESSARY in a team like India where rest of the guys always fail in big games— Krishna (@krisbangalore95) April 5, 2023
I like how you included jos buttler there beside Virat. Very clever
— Nagesh Srigiriraju (@yachu9) April 5, 2023
86 of 9.2 overs will give you 180 in 20 overs mathematically speaking (86×2=172 in 18.4 overs) ? Sharukh was responsible for that 11(10) coming at 17th over. Speaking at the hind sight if Virat was targeted for his SR who justify sr in pressure matches and who delivered? Virat.
— Keerthan Reddy (@keerthansreddy) April 6, 2023
this is how content creators end up in problems (though Harsha is much bigger than any other random creator/influencer)
First tweet happens due to the urge to share an insight
Then you can end up spending more time explaining why you said what you said
Let's just accept that…
— Swaroop D (@swaroopspaces) April 6, 2023
He was trying his best. What else he could do?
He even tried to get himself out by playing some outrageous shots- reverse scoop, paddle sweep. But still he played much better than KL Rahul in his usual self— Ayush (@AyushOfficial03) April 5, 2023
Clever to add that last sentence. Coming to the point even scoring 50(50) is fine until it helps the team. Without Dhawan anchoring who knows there might be a collapse and pbks might have ended up with 160-170 odd
— Black Panther (@thebIackpanthr) April 5, 2023
Uncle literally kept Anchor Kohli with legend Buttler.
— David (@CricketFreakD2) April 5, 2023
Absolutely right ??. This is the main reason behind India's debacle in the recently concluded T20i world cup where Indian Team management was trying to Accommodate both Rahul & Kohli despite eating up a lot of deliveries in the power play overs. .. it cost India World Cup..
— Devender Kumar (@asdevender_bbc) April 5, 2023
Basically Virat template is very clear if he scores 38 balls 50 in next 15 balls he scores 35 runs so that the strike rate automatically goes up, if u look shikar Dhawan highest score in ipl his strike rate is very low. Every time he ends up 90*+
— I am Groot ? (@WVenkatarao) April 6, 2023
If anything, Dhawan’s innings shows how even after a run a ball thirty, he was able to accelerate quite effectively. He struggled in the beginning but turned the gears up and helped his team get that 190+ score even after Rajasthan were gaining momentum after the opening wicket
— Victor Darius (@Vaibhav64116369) April 5, 2023
