“Should have scored more after century”

Given Shikhar Dh­a­wan’s penchant for big kn­ocks, his dismissal soon after completing a hundred by his standards would deject him. More so, as success this seas­on would steer him further to national reckoning.

With the regular pair of Vi­render Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir under-performing and no specific back-up opener in the range, a string of big sc­ores could improve his st­a­kes. Many reckon this season is a make or break one for Dh­a­wan. An opportunity prese­nted itself on Saturday against the toiling West Zone, which he capitalised on but left when he could have done better. “I felt sad, because usually I do­n’t get out soon after I score a hundred. I know the significa­nce of hundreds and that too big hundreds. I had a plan in my mind but he (Kamlesh Ma­kvana) had a different plan and that worked,” he said.

Ironically, he got out playing his percentage stroke—skew through cover or extra co­ver. Throughout the 179-balled innings he executed this shot with utmost efficacy. Even on occasions he couldn’t reach to the pitch of the delivery, he we­nt through with the shot, the power thus compensating for timing. But for once, his intent­ions didn’t materialise.

That was perhaps his first mistake of the day. Apart from a few teasers from Abhishek Nayar, which somehow eluded his tenuous pokes, he was untroubled, and as the day pr­ogressed he expanded the ca­nvas of his strokes. It took him just a Harmeet Singh over to get from 81 to his hundred. He hit five bo­undaries inc­l­u­ding an upright paddle sw­eep. Ha­rmeet Singh’s arm-ball slid do­wn the leg-side and he had neither the room for the conv­entional paddle sweep nor was it close enough for the leg gl­ance. Hence the stroke, wi­th the T20 stamp all over it.

“When we went in, there was still dew around and the ball was doing just enough. So we tried not to lose our wickets. Their spinners, too, came along and bowled well. So our run-rate wasn’t high in the fi­r­st session. But we picked it up in the post lunch session,” said Dhawan.