India’s upper order batsman Shikhar Dhawan said on Thursday former captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni getting his form back was a good sign for the Men in Blue. Dhawan also said Dhoni’s calm and composed demeanour gave confidence to other players as well.

Speaking about MS Dhoni’s performance in the last two ODIs against Australia, Dhawan said he was happy that the wicket-keeper batsman was getting back in touch. The 33-year-old also heaped praises on Dinesh Kartik, who played a crucial knock of 25 runs off 24 balls in the last ODI against Australia.

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“It was great to see a good team performance in the last one day match against Australia. The way Dhoni played in both the games is really great. I am very happy that Dhoni is getting his touch back. A player of his stature, who plays the game with so much calmness, gives so much confidence to other batsmen. It is very important for us,” Shikhar Dhawan said at a press conference ahead of the 3rd ODI.

“Even Dinesh (Karthik) played a very good knock in the last game. So the good thing is that we got all fit and mature players which make us a strong batting unit. We have been consistent in our performance over the past few years and hopefully, we will continue performing well in coming years,” Dhawan added.

Virat Kohli-led Team India will aim to clinch the ODI series when they will take on the Oz team for the final ODI on Friday at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). Speaking about the series decider, Dhawan said if they won, it would be a good achievement for the team.

“It will be a big final tomorrow. It is going to be an interesting game for both the teams. We are looking forward to an exciting game tomorrow. It (the victory) will mean a lot to us. It is always good to come here and win. If we win tomorrow, it will be a big achievement for us. Of course, we are going to value it and cherish it,” he said.