India vs West Indies: Shikhar Dhawan says fight to return to starting XI has made him a stronger person

Indian opener Shikhar Dhawan’s recent form and his outstanding show at the recently-concluded 2017 ICC Champions Trophy in England and Wales suggests that he is back to his best.

Dhawan scored a total of 338 runs in the five matches in the ICC tournament, including a classy 125 and won the Golden Bat for the second successive edition. The 31-year-old batsman from Delhi also smashed 87 and 63 in the two appearances in the ongoing series against West Indies.

In an exclusive interview with BCCI.tv , the left-handed batsman said that he worked really hard to make a comeback to the Indian team. “Past months were quite unfortunate for me. That’s why I was out of the team. I went back and worked on myself, and am a stronger person and sportsman now. I knew I have those skills and capabilities to perform at the international level. I have been working hard and I never lost hope,” he said.

“When I wasn’t doing well, I knew I will get out of the team. I went back and started enjoying domestic cricket. There was less pressure as compared to the international. That’s how I relaxed myself and stayed calm. But yes, at the back of my mind, I always knew I had to perform good and make a come back and serve my country and achieve my goal,” he added.

However, Dhawan was reluctant to comment on the recent controversy surrounding Anil Kumble’s stepping down as the head coach of Team India. Instead, he said everyone has their own character and that there will always be differences.

India lead 1-0 in the five-match series against the Caribbean side after winning the second ODI by 105 runs while the opener at the Queen’s Park Oval Stadium was abandoned due to rain. The third ODI is slated to take place at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in Antigua on 30 June.