Shikhar Dhawan tops elite list of India captains with a 97-run knock in IND vs WI 1st ODI

Indian cricketer Shikhar Dhawan made headlines on Friday for scoring 97 runs off 99 balls during the 1st ODI between India and West Indies at the Queen’s Park Oval. Dhawan’s knock powered India to a high-scoring first inning with a total of 308 runs as the Men In Blue went on to win the match by a thrilling margin of three runs. While Dhawan’s knock became the biggest talking point about the match, he also made headlines for scripting a massive batting record.

Courtesy of his knock of 97 runs, Dhawan surpassed legendary India captains like Mohammed Azharuddin, Sunil Gavaskar and MS Dhoni and became the oldest India captain to score a half-century for the national team in ODI cricket. While Dhawan achieved the milestone at the age of 36, Azharuddin hit fifty for India in 1999, at the age of 36 years and 120 days old.

Rohit Sharma also went past Sunil Gavaskar, MS Dhoni, and Rohit Sharma

On the other hand, leading Team India in 1985, Gavaskar had scored a fifty at the age of 36. Meanwhile, Dhoni scored a half-century for India as the captain in 2016, when he was 35 years old. The list also consists of India’s current full-time skipper Rohit Sharma, who has been rested for the ongoing ODI series. 

Rohit had scored a fifty for India in the 1st ODI against England earlier this month at the age of 35. Having said that, Dhawan hit a total of ten fours and three sixes en routes to knock on Friday, before getting dismissed by Gudakesh Motie three runs short of his century. It is pertinent to mention that Dhawan hit his last century for India in 2019, and has got out in the nervous nineties, three times ever since.

Top performers for India in the IND vs WI 1st ODI

Coming back to the match, alongside Shikhar, youngsters Shubman Gill and Shreyas Iyer also scored the fifties for India in the 1st innings. Gill and Dhawan hit 119 runs during their 1st wicket stand, before the former’s dismissal on the individual score of 64 runs in 53 balls. Iyer, meanwhile, scored 54 runs in 57 balls, as he and Dhawan added 94 runs for the 2nd wicket stand.

Going ahead in the 2nd innings, Shardul Thakur, Yuzvendra Chahal and Mohammed Siraj chipped in with two wickets each. West Indies were restricted on 305/5 in 50 overs during the 2nd innings, which was the first time the Caribbean side played all 50 overs since the ICC men’s ODI World Cup in 2019. India and West Indies will now lock horns in the 2nd ODI at the same venue on Sunday, with India leading the series by 1-0.

(Image: @indiancricketteam/Instagram)