When to tighten the strings, when to loosen... ODI captain Shikhar Dhawan told his plan

Shikhar Dhawan as ODI Captain: Dhurandhar opener Shikhar Dhawan will take over the captaincy of the Indian team in the upcoming ODI series against New Zealand (IND vs NZ ODI Series). Before the start of the series, he talked about his strategy and ability to take decisions as a captain. Dhawan has said that he has now matured as a captain. He said that he does not hesitate to take such decisions as a captain, which may not be good for any player but can benefit the team.

Good captaincy record

The Indian team defeated New Zealand 1-0 in the T20 series. Then all-rounder Hardik Pandya took charge of the team. Now Shikhar Dhawan is the captain of the team in the ODI series. The 3-match ODI series between the two teams is to begin from Friday. This is not the first time that Dhawan will take over the captaincy of the team. Earlier, under his leadership, India won 3-2 against Sri Lanka and 2-1 against South Africa. The team also had to face a 1-4 defeat against the West Indies under his leadership.

improve decision making ability

The Delhi batsman said that his decision-making ability has improved with time. Dhawan told Cricinfo, 'The more you play, the more confident you are about your decisions. Earlier there used to be occasions when I used to show respect to a bowler and give him the extra over, but now I have matured. Even if someone feels bad, even then I will take the same decision which will benefit the team.

Example of tightening and loosening the wire

Regarding leadership skills, Dhawan further said that it is most important to maintain balance and win the trust of the players. Dhawan said, 'When you play music on a stringed instrument, if the string is too loose then it will not sound good, if the string is too tight then it will break. So it is all about creating balance. As a captain, it is most important to create balance. You must know when to tighten the string and when to keep it a little loose. It depends on the time. At this stage, I have also understood when, how to talk to the players and how much to talk.

'Balance most important'

Dhawan further said, 'If a shot is hit on a bowler's ball, then it is important to know when to talk to him. I will not talk to him when it is hot in the atmosphere. Instead, I will talk to him freely later. It also depends on the level at which you are captaining. If it is IPL then most of the players mature, so you have to think whether to pull the strings or not. On some occasions in Ranji Trophy you have to show firmness because at that level some players are like raw pitchers and you have to be tough to mold them. It is necessary to strike a balance.