All eyes were on India’s openers as they came out to bat against Sri Lanka in the third T20 international in Pune. It is not a hidden fact that only one between KL Rahul and Shikhar Dhawan will partner Rohit Sharma in the ICC T20 World Cup in Australia later this year.

Every match till the squad is announced will be a screening for these two men and on Friday both decided to showcase their mettle. While KL Rahul was picture perfect from the first delivery he played, Shikhar Dhawan’s was a completely opposite case.

The struggle continued against Malinga until the southpaw managed to liberate himself with a shot over mid on against spinner Dhananjaya de Silva, who had erred in line and length.

A streaky edge off Malinga’s bowling fetched another boundary but there was change waiting just round the corner. Malinga bowled one full from around the wicket and Dhawan flicked it through mid-wicket with elan. It was the beginning of the Dhawan that we all love to see.

Every one of the 36 deliveries played by Dhawan was a story in itself. The first delivery he played was a wide. He got an inside edge off the first legal delivery he faced and got a single off it. Two attempts to hit big in the second over flopped and Dhawan decided to lift one in the air off his pads. The ball should have been pouched easily near the boundary but Dasun Shanaka made a mockery of an easy chance and Dhawan got a lucky boundary.

Lahiru Kumara bowled one short and Dhawan cut it over gully with absolute disdain. What followed was a sight to behold. A shot through the covers that reminded everyone of the southpaw’s abilities. A six followed off the bowling of de Silva and soon Dhawan had become the aggressor as he went past the half century mark in 34 balls.