One of India’s most successful openers in limited-overs cricket, Shikhar Dhawan , has announced his retirement from international and first-class cricket. The 38-year-old left-hander represented India in 34 Tests, 167 ODIs and 68 T20Is, amassing over 8,000 runs across formats.
In a video message posted on social media, Dhawan expressed gratitude towards the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and Delhi & District Cricket Association (DDCA) for the opportunities. He thanked his childhood coach Late Tarak Sinha and Madan Sharma for imparting the basics during early days. Dhawan also acknowledged his teammates for creating wonderful memories during the journey.
The Delhi-born batsman enjoyed great success in ODIs, amassing 6,793 runs at an excellent average of 44. While his Test career waslimited, Dhawan still managed 2,315 runs at 40.61. In T20Is, he scored 1,617 runs for India. Dhawan remained a vital cog in India’slimited-overs batting lineup, known for his attacking approach at the top of the order.
Some of Dhawan’s finest innings included back-to-back centuries against Australia in 2013. He also scored an excellent 137 against South Africa in 2015 World Cup. Dhawan was a key member of India’s 2013 Champions Trophy-winning team. Despite occasional ups and downs, he remained one of team’s senior pros, leading the side occasionally as well.
With Dhawan’s retirement, Indian cricket bids farewell to a destined match-winner who could take any bowling attack to cleaners on his day. He will be fondly remembered for his exciting strokeplay and exuberant celebrations each time he crossed fifty or hundred. Dhawan now aims to explore new avenues post retirement while cherishing memorable times in Team India dressing room.
