‘He deserves praise’: Harbhajan Singh hails PBKS star as ‘IPL legend’ | Cricket

He is only the second player in the history of Indian Premier League (IPL) to amass 6000 runs, has the third most number of fifty-plus scores and has been part of few many record opening stands as well, winning umpteen Player of the Match awards. Yet in the list of ‘IPL legends’, Shikhar Dhawan will seldom find a spot and former India cricketer Harbhajan Singh feels that the Punjab Kings star deserves to be part of the elite club in IPL history. (Follow IPL 2022 full coverage)

Speaking to Sportskeeda on the show ‘SK Match ki Baat’ ahead of Punjab’s match against Rajasthan Royals, Harbhajan opined that unlike most other players, Dhawan doesn’t get equal attention, but is always there for the team when his side requires him to score those crucial runs or dig deep in run chases.

“Shikhar Dhawan deserves praise as he has scored over 6000 runs. He is not talked about as much as other players and some are given too much attention. He is an IPL legend in himself. He has scored runs against all the opposition and proved himself,” he said.

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“His role for Punjab is to bat responsibly and does not give his wicket away and that’s his weapon. We all like shots that Livingstone plays, but what’s important is the partnership. When a team needs 60-80 runs from a batter, Dhawan is always there. I think he will dominate Prasidh Krishna,” he added.

Earlier last month, after Dhawan has reached the milestone of 6000 runs in IPL in the match against defending champions Chennai Super Kings at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai where he scored an unbeaten 88 off 59 balls, India’s former head coach Ravi Shastri had opined much on the same lines.

“I call him a gun player because in this country, most of the accolades have gone to Virat (Kohli) and Rohit (Sharma),” he told Star Sports. “This man (Shikhar Dhawan) has been a serious player, you know, right in between them when he has been fit and he deserves all the accolades… 6000 IPL runs, 200th (IPL) game, man-of-the-match, finishing it off in style and like he said he has started advising youngsters now.. and I know Shikhi…he might be calling them and playing the flute.. I hope he plays the flute for a long time.”