LIFE BEYOND THE BOUNDARY

FORGET THE CRICKET WORLD CUP, SHIKHAR DHAWAN IS HAVING THE TIME OF HIS LIFE. IN AN EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH MAN'S WORLD, THE MASTER BATTER OPENS UP ABOUT EVERYTHING THAT'S HAPPENING BEHIND CLOSED DOORS

- VEENU SINGH

Arguably one of the most fearsome opening batters in the world, he has played a pivotal role in India's cricketing success in the last eight years. Yet, Shikhar Dhawan wasn't included in the Indian squad for this World Cup. You'd think then that the swashbuckling Jat would be having something of a meltdown. But sitting in the balcony of his 21st floor condominium at the opulent DLF Magnolias in Gurgaon, Dhawan is amazingly calm and completely unfazed by all the negative attention.

In fact, the affable cricketer is quite content with himself and how his professional life has panned out. Dhawan, who turns 38 in December, understands better than anyone else that his career has entered its twilight zone. And rather than brood over it, he has been a vocal supporter of the new talent (even though he still holds the record for the highest score by an Indian in test debut) that has replaced him. He's also been indulging in various activities to combat cricket withdrawals.

It starts with a practised love of spirituality and a strong belief in Sufism that he's been exercising for a few years now. It's possibly the secret sauce of his ever-smiling persona, which helps him sustain the pressures of the (cricketing) world, especially at times when he has been overlooked for Team India despite performing well on the domestic front.

"Even at that time, I was able to handle all the pressure well since listening to Sufi songs taught me to treat success and setbacks in the same manner," he says. Today, Sufism is a way of life for the masterstroke player who lives by the philosophy of 'making the now the primary focus of one's life'.

In an exclusive interview with Man's World, Dhawan speaks about cricket, life and everything in between. Excerpts:

What is your current state of mind?