Exclusive: I love playing in ICC tournaments, focus is on 2023 ODI World Cup, says Shikhar Dhawan

Shikhar Dhawan, who became the first captain to guide India to a clean sweep against the West Indies in their own backyard recently, is looking forward to next year's ICC World Cup which will be held in India. That Dhawan is a dominant player in the ICC 50-over events is no secret. He has played 10 matches in the ODI World Cups so far (in the 2015 and 2019 editions) and has 537 runs under his belt, averaging 53.70.

He also played a stellar role in India's 2013 ICC Champions Trophy triumph, where he was adjudged the Man of the Series for scoring 363 runs in 5 matches at an average of 90.75, including two centuries and one half-century. The 36-year-old left-hander was given the captaincy baton for the ODI series against West Indies in West Indies. He guided the team to a 3-0 series win and also scored 168 runs to finish as the second-highest run getter in the series after Shubman Gill, at an average of 56 with two fifties.

Shikhar will be seen in action next on the ODI tour of Zimbabwe, ahead of which he spoke to TimesofIndia.com.Dhawan is ready for his next assignment where he will be the India vice-captain. He was initially named the captain, but once KL Rahul cleared his fitness tests, Dhawan was made Rahul's deputy. The KL Rahul-led Team India are scheduled to play 3 ODIs in Zimbabwe - on August 18, 20, and 22.

This will be the first time India will tour Zimbabwe in six years. The last time India toured Zimbabwe was way back in June-July in 2016, under the leadership of Mahendra Singh Dhoni. TimesofIndia.com caught up with Shikhar Dhawan for an exclusive interview earlier this month, before the change in captaincy for the Zimbabwe tour was announced, to talk about the West Indies series, next year's ODI World Cup, his