If the national selectors were only looking at the just-concluded Irani Cup as their basis for selection for the Australia Test series, then Shikhar Dhawan, with scores of 63 and 0, would not have made it into the India squad where he replaced his Delhi teammate Gautam Gambhir.

Dhawan, 27, is thankful that Sandeep Patil & Co gave due consideration to his first-class season. “Thankfully, the selectors didn’t go only by my Irani Cup scorecard. I had a fine first-class season and I am happy that I will play alongside the likes of Virubhai (Virender Sehwag) and Sachin paaji (Tendulkar),” the southpaw said yesterday.