VVS Laxman doesn't understand the logic for axing Shikhar Dhawan

The current generation of Indian batsmen has a poor record overseas against the moving ball especially those who bat at the top. They have all struggled to get bat to ball and whenever it did make contact, more often than not the edge carried behind the stumps. It was the same story in the England vs India 1st Test at Edgbaston and ahead of the second match, Team India made a couple of changes. VVS Laxman isn’t particularly happy with the team selection this time.

Skipper Virat Kohli lost the toss and after being asked to bat first he said that they’ve decided to bring Cheteshwar Pujara back in the at No.3 and KL Rahul was pushed to the top and will open with Murali Vijay at the cost of Shikhar Dhawan. Laxman feels it is unfair on the left-hander that he was dropped after a poor show in the opening encounter as all the other batsmen also failed.

All batsmen failed except Kohli

It was just one man who put up a memorable performance – skipper Kohli got a 149 and 51 in the two innings while the rest of the batting team contributed 214 runs in all.

“Every batsman failed barring Virat Kohli and if you compare KL Rahul, Shikhar Dhawan and Murali Vijay amongst the three, Dhawan looked the most confident, his footwork was precise. But probably he gets the axe because of the way he gets out. As a stroke player, you expect sometimes while playing shots you get out in a certain fashion,” Laxman trying to understand why Dhawan was dropped while talking on ESPNcricinfo.

Why axe Dhawan?

The 32-year-old is a positive shot making player and irrespective of the conditions backs himself to stay aggressive and play. That is the same reason why he gets out edging the ball and VVS said he is very similar to how Virender Sehwag operated as even his dismissals looked ugly, but what is important is the difference that he created the time he spent on the crease.

“(Virender) Sehwag was that kind, whenever he got out it looked bad but that is also their strength that’s why I am really surprised. Why the axe has to fall on Shikhar Dhawan and not the other batsmen. The numbers say that it is not only him who has been struggled since 2015 in overseas conditions. It’s all the top three or four (including Pujara),” Laxman further mentioned.

As far as the performances are concerned the averages of Indian batsmen in South Africa, Australia, New Zealand and England since 2015 is – Murali Vijay: 20.80, KL Rahul: 21.62, Cheteshwar Pujara: 16.66, Shikhar Dhawan: 17.75.

All the four have pretty similar numbers and not a lot of difference that could determine who’s done well and who’s not.

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