One of India’s most iconic openers, Shikhar Dhawan, announced his retirement from international and domestic cricket on Saturday, August 24. Dhawan made the announcement through a video on his X (formerly known as Twitter) page. In the one-minute and seventeen-second video, he thanked his family, the BCCI, and fans for supporting him on this memorable journey. He mentioned that representing his country in international cricket was his biggest dream, and he is happy he could achieve that. He also stated that he is not sad about not representing his country again, but he is happy that he had the opportunity to do so.
Early life and rise to stardom
Born in New Delhi on December 5, 1985, Shikhar Dhawan embarked on his cricketing journey at the age of 12 when he joined the esteemed Sonnet Club under the tutelage of coach Tarak Sinha. Initially a wicketkeeper, Dhawan quickly transitioned into a potent batsman. By the age of 14, he was making significant strides in youth cricket, representing Delhi U16 and, subsequently, the North Zone U16 teams. His consistent run-scoring earned him a place in the India U17 side for the 2000/01 ACC Under-17 Asia Cup.
Dhawan further solidified his reputation on the world stage in 2004, emerging as the leading run-scorer in Bangladesh’s ICC U19 Cricket World Cup with an impressive tally of 505 runs, including three centuries.
International journey
Dhawan made his international debut in 2010 with a One Day International (ODI) against Australia. However, his start was less than ideal, as he was dismissed for a two-ball duck. Despite this setback, he bounced back strongly and made his Twenty20 International (T20I) debut in 2011 against the West Indies and his Test debut in 2013 against Australia, where he scored a record-breaking 187 off 174 balls, the fastest century on debut in Test cricket.
Dhawan’s shining moment came during the 2013 ICC Champions Trophy. Partnering with Rohit Sharma, he formed a formidable opening pair. His consistent performances, including consecutive centuries against South Africa and the West Indies, earned him the Player of the Tournament award.
Although Dhawan has retired from international and domestic cricket, he will continue playing in the Indian Premier League (IPL). He currently plays for the Punjab Kings.
Key achievements
-
Fastest century on Test debut: Dhawan’s 187 against Australia in 2013 remains the fastest century on debut in Test cricket. -
ICC Champions Trophy 2013: Dhawan was the highest run-scorer and Player of the Tournament, helping India win the title. -
Iconic ODI career: Dhawan scored 6,793 runs in 167 ODIs at an average of 44.11, including 17 centuries and 39 fifties. -
A consistent performer in ICC tournaments: Dhawan was India’s highest scorer in the 2015 World Cup and the 2017 Champions Trophy.
Shikhar Dhawan’s Career in Numbers
|
Format |
Matches |
Runs |
Average |
Strike Rate |
Centuries |
Fifties |
|
Tests |
34 |
2315 |
40.61 |
66.94 |
7 |
5 |
|
ODIs |
167 |
6793 |
44.11 |
94.01 |
17 |
39 |
|
T20Is |
68 |
1759 |
27.92 |
127.12 |
0 |
11 |
|
IPL |
222 |
6768 |
35.07 |
126.34 |
2 |
51 |
First Published: Aug 24 2024 | 5:40 PM IST
