Team India stay close as a family: Shikhar Dhawan

Says knock against Proteas has made him wiser

Shikhar Dhawan in action during a warm-up match against South Africa at Wankhede Stadium on Saturday. (PTI)

Mumbai: His brilliant 73-run knock in the warm-up game against South Africa might have fallen just short of ensuring a win for India, but opener Shikhar Dhawan said the crucial time he had spent at the crease has made him more "wiser" ahead of their ICC World Twenty20 campaign.

Chasing a steep 197 for win, Dhawan smashed 73 off 53 balls before retiring but the knock was not enough to take India home as the hosts fell short by four runs at the Wankhede Stadium last night.

"As (an) individual, it was a good learning for me as I batted till the 15th-16th over, so with my calculation for the next coming games, I will be more better. It was a good learning for me and I got more wiser," Dhawan told reporters at the post-match conference late last night.

Asked why despite having some of the best finishers of the game, India failed to cross the hurdle yesterday, the 30-year-old left-hander said, "Certainly, these are normal things. It does not happen that the best finishers will always guarantee you to complete the task. Everyone gave their best and that's what matters. We were chasing such a big total, and wickets fell early on, after that there was a good partnership and came so close. It was only a matter of two runs. We learnt a lot from this game. What we have leant today, will be implemented in the future."

Dhawan said that Team India has now got used to the expectations of home crowd.

"We stay close as a family. We'll try to share the burden of expectation as a group and not individuals. We are playing at home and expectations of home crowds will always be there. We are also used to that," he said.

Dhawan also said that India are trying different bowling combinations ahead of the main round of the mega-event.

"We guys were trying combinations, like Bhajji pa (Harbhajan Singh) bowled the first over. I guess that's how we are trying and it's good everyone is getting a game and getting used to the pressure, the wickets," he added.

According to the Delhi cricketer, the current Indian team has got depth in both batting and bolwing and Hardik Pandhya has become a big asset with his own field performances.

"We have got depth in our side in both batting and bowling. We also have got a very good allrounder in Hardik (Pandya) who is performing. He just came in the side and have been performing from the word go. That is a big positive and we got experience now in our side.

"Yuvi pa's (Yuvraj Singh) presence makes huge difference for all youngsters and of course their experience comes in handy. Because of all these reasons, I feel why everyone is rating us the best. We guys have been winning consistently and from those wins we are getting a lot of confidence and we are building our confidence game after game," he said

India will face New Zealand in their tournament opener in Nagpur on Tuesday.

Asked about India's first match against New Zealand, Dhawan said, "We have earlier played against them. We know the strengths of their particular batsman and bowler. We are ready for the game."