Shikhar Dhawan, captain of the Indian team for the upcoming limited-over matches against Sri Lanka, said he is confident of working well with coach Rahul Dravid as they go back a long way.
Dhawan will lead the Indian team in the three ODIs and three T20Is against Sri Lanka which will be played in Colombo, beginning on July 18. The left-hander said he is looking forward to building a sense of team spirit among his players.
“It is a big achievement for me that I have become the captain of the Indian side. As a leader, my idea is to keep everyone together and happy – that is the most important thing,” Dhawan told Star Sports on their show ‘Follow the Blues’.
“We have got a lovely bunch of boys, great support staff, and we have worked earlier as well. When I was the captain of India A, Rahul Dravid was the coach, and I have been to NCA many times, so there is a good bond. I am sure we will have great energy, and it will be seen when we play.”
Talks about his bond with coach Dravid, Dhawan said he is confident they can work well together at the top level.
“I have a good relation with Rahul Bhai. When I started playing Ranji Trophy, I played against him, and I have known him since then. When I went to play India A match, I was the Captain, and he was the coach, so there was interaction.
“When he became the Director of NCA, we used to go there for around 20 days, so we had a lot of interaction, and now we have good chemistry. And now that we have the chance to play six matches together, so it will be great fun, and I think we all sync nicely,” said Dhawan.
The 35-year-old also shared his thoughts on how India’s tour of Sri Lanka will provide a big opportunity for the youngsters in the side.
“Happy to get the youngsters in the team and see their dreams come true. It’s a big thing that these youngsters have come from their respective hometowns with certain dreams, and their dreams are getting fulfilled. And now, they should enjoy the journey which landed them in Team India, and they should know the value of their strength and how to improve it.
“There are seniors in the team, so the youngsters will learn from them, and vice versa, we will get to learn from the youngsters. Whenever I meet the youngsters they often have new ways of thinking, and I try to learn things which will help us, and it is both way learning,” said Dhawan.