Destiny had a different plan for me: Dhawan
26 July 2017 4:49 PM GMT
Shikhar Dhawan was left hurt after being dropped from the Indian Test team but says he remained confident of making his way back into the longest format sooner than later.
The left-hander scored a career-best 190 off 168 balls on day one of the first Test against Sri Lanka to guide India to 399/3 at stumps.
After day's play, Dhawan recalled the time when he was not part of the Test team.
"When I had that lean patch, I knew that if I wasn t going to score runs, I could get out of the side. Of course I felt that pressure at that moment and when I got out of the Test side, it hurt me, said Dhawan.
"But then, I moved on and I started playing domestic cricket for Delhi and I was enjoying myself there. One thing about me is that I don t like to be sad all the time. I like to be happy and so I was enjoying myself over there and knew that if things have to come, they will come my way.
"I don t want to run around things too much. I am going to keep doing my work and follow my process. I love doing my fitness drills and work on my skill level. I knew if it has to come, it will come."
Dhawan was not part of the original squad but was brought in after an injured Murali Vijay pulled out of the series last minute.
"My plans were to go to Melbourne and spend time with my family, do training and get fit for the ODI series. I was in Hong Kong actually, on holiday, and from there I flew back to India and joined the team. "That was my plan, but I think destiny had a different plan for me. I am happy and thankful to God," said the opener.
"I was happy, of course, to make a comeback to the Test side. Unfortunately, Vijay wasn t fit. I had a good run before this Test series (in the Champions Trophy) and I just came with the same mindset and the same confidence. I did the same process in the nets and got myself ready for this match."
This was Dhawan s second hundred at the Galle International Stadium, after he scored a hundred here in the first Test on the 2015 tour as well.
Overall, it was his fifth Test hundred wherein he put on a mammoth 253 runs for the second wicket with Cheteshwar Pujara and blew away the Sri Lankan attack. He scored at 113.09 throughout his innings and it was a throwback to his maiden hundred against Australia in Mohali, back in 2013.
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