Star Indian cricketer Shikhar Dhawan has announced his retirement from international and domestic cricket. 38-year-old Dhawan played his first match for India against Bangladesh in December 2022. After that he could not return to the team. Dhawan captained Punjab Kings (PBKS) in IPL 2024, where he could play only 5 matches due to injury.
Dhawan posted this on retirement
Shikhar Dhawan informed about his retirement through a video post. Dhawan said, ‘I am ending this chapter of my cricketing journey but I have countless memories with me and I am very grateful. Thank you for the love and support. Jai Hind.’ Dhawan says, ‘It is important to turn the pages to move forward in life and hence I am announcing my retirement from international and domestic cricket. I am retiring with the peace in my heart that I played cricket for India for so long.’
Impactful with the bat 💪
Memorable opening knocks 💯
And a pure smile on his face throughout 🤗𝙏𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙠 𝙔𝙤𝙪 𝙎𝙝𝙞𝙠𝙝𝙖𝙧 𝘿𝙝𝙖𝙬𝙖𝙣 🫡@SDhawan25 | #TeamIndia pic.twitter.com/U3ycf7GGvZ
— BCCI (@BCCI) August 24, 2024
Shikhar Dhawan represented the Indian team in all three formats of cricket, but his record in white ball cricket was quite impressive. Dhawan along with Rohit Sharma created a stir in ODI and T20 cricket as an opener. The Indian team was successful in winning many matches on the strength of this opening pair. This pair of Shikhar Dhawan (Gabbar) and Rohit Sharma (Hitman) was like Jai and Veeru in the iconic film ‘Sholay’.
… then Dhawan-Rohit would have been at number three
Let us tell you that in 2013, Shikhar Dhawan and Rohit Sharma were made as an opening pair. Since then, both of them opened together in 115 ODI innings. During this time, both of them together scored 5148 runs at an average of 45.55, which included 18 centuries and 15 half-century partnerships. If Dhawan-Rohit had scored three more runs, they would have come third in terms of scoring the most runs as an opening pair in ODI cricket. Dhawan-Rohit missed out on beating West Indies’ Gordon Greenidge and Desmond Haynes. Greenidge-Haynes opened in 102 innings, in which they scored 5150 runs.
Let us tell you that Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly hold the record of scoring the most runs as an opening pair in ODIs. Both the legends opened in 136 innings, scoring 6609 runs during this period. The average of both was 49.32 and 21 century partnerships were made between them. After this comes Australia’s Adam Gilchrist and Matthew Hayden, who scored 5372 runs in 114 innings. Dhawan-Rohit also opened in 52 T20 matches for India, in which they have 1743 runs to their name. Dhawan-Rohit made 4 century and seven half-century partnerships in T20 Internationals.
Most successful opening pair in ODIs
• Sachin Tendulkar-Sourav Ganguly: 6609 runs (India)
• Adam Gilchrist-Matthew Hayden: 5372 runs (Australia)
• Gordon Greenidge-Desmond Haynes: 5150 runs (West Indies)
• Shikhar Dhawan-Rohit Sharma: 5148 runs (India)
International record of Shikhar Dhawan:
T20 International – 68 matches, 1759 runs, 27.92 average, 11 half-centuries
One Day International – 167 matches, 6793 runs, 44.11 average, 17 centuries and 39 half-centuries
Test cricket- 34 matches, 2315 runs, 40.61 average, 7 centuries and 5 half-centuries
IPL – 222 matches, 6769 runs, 35.26 average, 2 centuries and 51 half-centuries
