India opener Shikhar Dhawan, who had been vulnerable against away-going deliveries on earlier tours to England and Australia, believes that he has learnt his lessons from previous experience which has helped him to improve his shot selection against swinging deliveries outside off.
"Now I know better from the past about which balls to leave and that is from experience and it helps improve the game and my shot selection and it showed in the partnership with Pujara and Kohli," Dhawan was quoted as saying by ESPNcricinfo.
The 30-year-old diminutive southpaw had placed a special focus on his feet movement and judgement against away-going deliveries, working with batting coach Sanjay Bangar at the training camp in Bangalore prior to their tour of West Indies.
After seeing opening partner Murali Vijay fall cheaply, Dhawan displayed tremendous restraint outside off as he overcame Shannon Gabriel's fiery opening spell before making a composed 84 on the first day of the Antigua Test.
"I think opening is the toughest work and you need a big heart for it," Dhawan said. "New wicket, new ball and they bowl with full energy and as an opener your technique should also be good because you have to leave a lot of balls and you need patience as well. Middle order needs it [patience] too but new ball has its own challenge. Vijay got a good ball, it was a very quick ball. I was luckier in that sense so Gabriel was bowling really well and with time you get that experience."
Opting to bat first, India were troubled by a disciplined West Indies bowling unit early in the innings, leaving the tourists in a spot of bother at 74 for two in 27.4 overs.
However, Dhawan (84) teamed up with Test skipper Virat Kohli (143 not out) as the duo engineered a 105-run stand for the third wicket to solidify the total, which currently stand at 302 for four.
