New Delhi: At the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2023 official film's premiere, which was presented by social media juggernaut Meta in Mumbai on Thursday, July 20, Shikhar Dhawan was one of the distinguished panelists in attendance.
The captivating movie "It Takes One Day" included some of cricket's top players as well as Bollywood actor Shahrukh Khan, who narrated the specifically planned CWC23 "Navarasa" and displayed the unfiltered emotions felt by spectators and players.
Despite having 13 years of experience playing for India in international cricket, the 37-year-old batsman is still looking to learn new things. He stressed the new generation's viewpoint and their capacity for self-expression while discussing the biggest shift he has seen in the way cricket is played these days.
"It’s really good to see. Change is the only constant thing in life. You have to adapt with time. It is lovely to see how players have come up with new strategies and new ways of thinking," said Dhawan.
"Even like... we’ve been playing for such a long time, we get so inspired by all the young players when they come up with some new shots, and personally I ask ‘how you played that?’"
Dhawan described a day when he attempted to learn one of Suryakumar Yadav's moves.
"I was asking SKY, he hits that six and I asked him ‘What do you do, man?’. So he was like, ‘I just bend and I do this’. I said I am going to try that in the nets as well because the more tools you can carry, it gets easier and it’s a wonderful mindset."
Dhawan described how the mindset of the younger generation has changed the game by drawing comparisons between the era in which he first began playing cricket and the current strategy.
"The thought process is getting broader. Earlier our coaches used to tell us to play down the ground, you don’t have to play big shots. So, we were raised with that sort of mindset but now when you see a youngster coming in, they will just go and express themselves.
"So, again, the main point is when I see the younger generation, they express themselves fearlessly. Where else, we also express ourselves but we had that thing because we were mentally trained that we have to play more on the ground but the new generation, they play and they express themselves very nicely and they don’t feel that guilt as well that 'I got out this way or that way', so I feel that is the biggest change we have seen and it’s amazing."
Also Read: Rohit Sharma Surpasses MS Dhoni's Record ,Kohli Overtakes Jacques Kallis
Dhawan, who has played for India in 34 Tests, 167 ODIs, and 68 T20 Internationals and has amassed over 10,000 international runs, has a sparkling record in 50-over international ICC competitions.a
He has played in the Cricket World Cups of 2015 and 2019, as well as the 2013 and 2017 Champions Trophy. During these tournaments, he has scored 1238 runs at an average of 65.15, including six hundreds.
Dhawan, who has played in two World Cups, discussed the thrilling experience of competing on one of cricket's biggest platforms and what it meant for him personally.
"It’s a very special feeling when you play in a World Cup and that’s what you prepare for when you are playing bilateral series," Dhawan said.
"Your main aim in that or when the World Cup is going to come. So we’re maturing ourselves and bilateral series are like a step-by-step [process]. You take small steps to reach the bigger target and of course, it’s a whole different feeling.
"When the first time my name got into the World Cup team I was like ‘alright’ and you say to yourself that ‘history mein naam aagaya hai ki World Cup bhi khele hain’ (It gets mentioned in history that they have also participated in the World Cup). So it is that big [a deal] as a cricketer, and it’s a great feeling. And lots of pressure as well," he added.
The blockbuster 2023 Cricket World Cup starts with the epic England v New Zealand clash on 5 October, with the Final slated to be played on 19 November at cricket's biggest stadium in Ahmedabad.
Also Read: Former Australian Captain criticizes Australia's All-Pace Attack Decision for Fourth Ashes Test
