Southampton: Batting legend Sachin Tendulkar Thursday said he expects Shikhar Dhawan to bounce back strongly from the injury setback that has ruled him out of the ICC World Cup 2019 and backed the opener’s replacement Rishabh Pant to do well.
Dhawan was Wednesday forced out of the mega-event owing to a fractured left thumb, an injury that he picked up during the June 9 clash against Australia. The swashbuckler scored a match-winning hundred while playing through pain in that game. “Feel for you Shikhar. You were playing well & to be injured in the middle of such an important tournament is heartbreaking. I’m sure you’ll come back stronger than ever,” Tendulkar tweeted.
Replacing Dhawan in the team is the 21-year-old sensation Pant, who has impressed one and all with aggressive hundreds during maiden Test tours of England and Australia. “Rishabh you’ve been playing well & there can’t be a bigger platform to express yourself. Good luck!,” Tendulkar wrote on the micro blogging site.
India will take on Afghanistan in their next fixture on Saturday. The two-time champions are undefeated in the ongoing edition of the World Cup.