Only a few weeks ago, Shikhar Dhawan looked confused about his future in the Indian Premier League with the unfortunate exit of the city-based Deccan Chargers.
“Right now, I cannot comment on what is in store. Let us hope for the best,” was the reaction from the Delhi cricketer, who had virtually made the city his second home.
A hero in the making
The third highest run-getter in IPL 2012 with 569 runs for the erstwhile Deccan Chargers, the 27-year-old Dhawan is now the talking point in cricketing circles, thanks to a historic Test debut in Mohali against Australia.
His unbeaten 185 — the fastest Test century by a debutant (off just 85 balls) — is an innings which has catapulted him to being touted the biggest batting star of the Sunrisers Hyderabad, the city’s new IPL franchisee, a line-up which boasts of Sri Lankan great Kumar Sangakkara, Cameron White and Jean-Paul Duminy in its ranks.
‘Commendable show’
“We are delighted with his performance today. And, we could not have asked for better timing for his magnificent innings.
“Just the kind of fillip we were desperately looking to carve our own brand image amongst the fans,” says a senior official of Sunrisers.
The city’s own
There Delhi southpaw is clearly at ease while in the city — when he goes out to train or play at the Rajiv Gandhi Stadium in Uppal, which will host the eight of the Sunrisers’ ‘home games’.
“His flamboyance which was already on show in the earlier IPL editions is a huge plus for us,” believes the Sunrisers official.
Shikhar Dhawan might well have provided the answer to the Sunrisers, a lot to cheer about and for the cricket-crazy Hyderabadi something special to look forward to in the IPL.
