India, July 2 -- Behind the disarming smile and Kabbadi-style thigh slaps hides an astute brain in Shikhar Dhawan. He was not one of India's most prolific white-ball openers for nothing. Of course, his cricketing skills deserve all the credit but points, pretty important ones, must be given to his ability to assess the situation, which many would (rightly) say is an integral part of a successful cricketer's career. For Dhawan, it transcends the cricket field. It is one of his definitive character traits. It does not take him long to judge the room. He did that to perfection in 2018, then in 2021 and again in late 2022.

All these years are significant in Dhawan's life, just like 2013, 2015, and 2017 are, albeit for the exact opposite reas...