Former India opener and captain K. Srikkanth perhaps knows best when it comes to a batsman’s progress to becoming captain of a side.
When asked about Sunrisers Hyderabad’s new captain and opener Shikhar Dhawan, he said like every player the Delhi batsman had to first secure his place before moving up the ladder to become a leader.
Big motivation
“Dhawan is brimming with confidence. The responsibility of captaincy has lifted his spirit. It is a big motivation for him. He is our captain, leader and a key batsman,” claimed Srikkanth, on the eve of SRH’s opening Champions League T20 match against Kandurata Maroons.
Srikkanth feels Dhawan will enjoy the additional responsibility here at the PCA Stadium, where he scored a century on Test debut a few months back.
“There are many players for whom captaincy has added value to their batting. There are great examples like Steve Waugh and Ricky Ponting.
“It is all about the mindset. Dhawan is a determined fellow and he has that self-belief. The team management believes in him and he will have the benefit of leading Delhi (in the Ranji Trophy).”
Srikkanth said picking Dhawan for the top job was a decision taken for the future. “It will help the team. Next year, we have the IPL auction. So, the team will be built around him.”
On former skipper Kumar Sangakkara playing for Maroons, the SRH mentor said, “It is an individual choice. Sangakkara is an extraordinary player and we will have to work it out. He knows a few tricks about us. It is a funny situation, but we have to deal with it.”
Assessing SRH, Srikkanth said the team was balanced and the availability of J.P. Duminy has strengthened it.
Visa cleared
Meanwhile, according to Punjab Cricket Association (PCA) sources, Pakistani side Faisalabad Wolves has been given a visa for Chandigarh, paving the way for the team members’ stay at a local hotel.
The Wolves players had to put up at the PCA clubhouse for one night as visas had been granted to them only for Mohali.
