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What If Shikhar Dhawan Played In Place Of Shubman Gill In 2023 World Cup Final?

Shubman Gill with Shikhar Dhawan [X]Shubman Gill with Shikhar Dhawan [X]

Earlier this morning, India's legendary opening batter Shikhar Dhawan announced his retirement from international cricket. Hailed for his glorious stroke play, Dhawan played a pivotal role in India's rise, helping them become a ruthless force in white-ball cricket. 

However, despite his valiant efforts, the stylish southpaw couldn't find a place in India's squad for the 2023 World Cup, with youngster Shubman Gill replacing him in the setup. 

Led by Rohit Sharma, India had a dream campaign, entering the final of the competition following a convincing victory over New Zealand. 

As they were playing at home and progressed to the final as an unbeaten side, the Men in Blue were considered as the favourites to clinch the coveted World Cup trophy. 

However, under Pat Cummins' astute leadership, Australia stunned the hosts in a one-sided affair in Ahmedabad, with Travis Head's blistering ton powering them to their sixth World Cup title. 

Gill, who was preferred over Dhawan for the tournament, got out for only four runs in the all-important final. So, the question arises, what if Shikhar Dhawan played the final instead of the young gun? 

Did Dhawan deserve to play the 2023 World Cup ahead of Gill?

With Rohit Sharma at the helm, the competition was always between Shikhar Dhawan and Shubman Gill for the one available opening slot. 

However, while Gill capitalised on his chances, Dhawan suffered a slump in form, leading to his disappearance from India's ODI team. 

Soon after becoming a regular face, Gill showcased remarkable consistency in ODIs, amassing 638 runs at a superb average of 70.89 and a strike rate of 102.57 in 2022. 

Meanwhile, Dhawan's age caught up to him, and the southpaw struggled to get going. His batting average of only 34.40 in his final 22 ODI innings signifies that he was certainly not at his best during that period. 

In fact, it was Dhawan who picked Gill over himself as Rohit's batting partner in a Q&A session, considering the latter's exploits in the 50-over format. 

Therefore, Gill rightly deserved to play the 2023 World Cup based on his form, and, it would've made a little difference to India's fate had an inconsistent Dhawan replaced him in the all-important final.