Shikhar Dhawan’s Test Career Virtually over While Murali Vijay Still Has Chance

After Rohit Sharma was left out of the Test squad, it is now turn for his left-hand opening partner Shikhar Dhawan.

Cricket news: Dhawan has averaged over 44 at home from 34 Tests since 2013

Dhawan, who recently won the Man of the Series award in the recently concluded Asia Cup was left out of the two-Test series against West Indies.

Reports suggest that this could be the end of the journey for the 32-year-old batsman while his Test opening partner Murali Vijay has still got some chance.

Since 2013, Dhawan has played 34 Tests and has averaged over 44 at home which is higher than his career average of 40.61. While he averages below 40 in overseas conditions, still he has scored five out of seven tons away from home but among that only one has come outside the subcontinent (115 vs New Zealand in 2014).

Vijay has played 59 Tests and averages 39.32 at home and 32.23 overseas and has scored three Test centuries. However among those centuries he got two outside the subcontinent, 146 and 144 in England and Australia in 2014.

Apart from that he has a few scores in the 90s against South Africa, England and Australia while Dhawan has only one 90 outside the subcontinent (against New Zealand).

Vijay, who was dropped after a poor run in England (26 runs from four innings), might still get a chance because of his better numbers when playing outside the sub-continent.

While reports from Times of India (TOI) suggest that Dhawan might have been contacted by the team management that he will not be considered for Tests from now on.

“After Vijay failed in the second Test, Dhawan was told that he was going to get a free hand in the rest of the three Tests as the team management and selectors believed he could be an asset up the order as he could dominate any attack. But he was also told that if he couldn’t perform, then a call would be taken on his Test future,” a source mentioned.

Dhawan, who had an inconsistent performance and has been on and off the team for some time now, might see his Test career come to a virtual end.