3 Cricketers who can replace Shikhar Dhawan as T20I opener

Indian team is blessed with an invincible top-order trio, comprising Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma, and Virat Kohli. Especially in ODI cricket, it is impossible to stop all of them from scoring runs. However, in the T20I format, the competition has increased with the emergence of new youngsters. While it is impossible to sideline Vrat and Rohit, Shikhar’s form has been a matter of concern.

The southpaw has been a bit inconsistent in this format. Though the team management has persisted with him as an opener, many other players are sitting in the wings, waiting for their chances. If Shikhar has any chance of retaining his place as a T20I opener, he needs to work upon his consistency and try to retain his form for long.

Let us take a look at a few players, who can replace Shikhar Dhawan as a T20I opener

1. Mayank Agarwal

The stylish right-hander has fared exceedingly well in Tests. After waiting to play for the national team for long, he grabbed his chances instantly when they came. With 605 runs in 10 innings, he has probably sealed his place as a Test opener.

The next target in his sight would be a place in the limited-overs side. Mayank has excellent numbers in the IPL, especially in the last season, where he smashed 332 runs in 13 games. He can instantly go for the kill, which is justified by his IPL strike rate of 130. Besides, he has an exceptional game against the spinners.

The only thing that the 28-year-old Mayank would like to work upon is that of not throwing away starts, for he was dismissed five times during the 30s in IPL 2019. If he can improve that, he can be an asset for the team in all three formats of the game.