Having failed to carry on in the first two matches after getting good starts, Shikhar Dhawan was determined to get a big one on Wednesday. The flashy left-hander was all class in his attacking 119 that clinched India the ODI series against the West Indies.
“I’m very happy that I could score a century that helped my team win. In the last two-three matches, I was getting good starts, but wasn’t able to convert them. So I was determined. It was the final (match of the series), and I’m very happy that I helped the team win,” said the Man of the Match.
The left-hander felt it was a confidence-booster before the South Africa tour.
“It’s always good to end a series on a high note. This will give me a lot of confidence,” he said. The win, according to Dhawan, would also help the Indian team to continue with the momentum in South Africa. “It’s a big win for us, and we’ve been winning tournaments on the trot now, so it’s a big win for us. We want to continue with this momentum and take it to as many tournaments as possible,” he added.
The opener has fond memories of South Africa where he scored a 150-ball 248 against South Africa A for India A earlier this year. “For sure, it adds to my confidence because I posted one of my highest scores on South African pitches and that gives me a lot of confidence. I’m really looking forward to the South Africa series.”
Dhawan rounded off by saying this year has been a high, particularly after he scored a memorable century on Test debut against Australia. “I’m really thankful that God has blessed me with such a beautiful year. I’m happy that I’ve been scoring a lot of centuries. It’s a good habit and I want to win a lot of matches for my team.”
The 27-year-old said he was happy that Yuvraj Singh returned to form.
“Yeah, paaji was playing well when he came in the side and he scored 71 in the T20 match (against Australia). He played a beautiful knock today, and we had a good partnership that got us through the game. It was amazing for me to bat with Yuvi paaji because I’ve learnt lots from him. I always look up to him.”