Shikhar Dhawan has decided to retire from international and domestic cricket. On the morning of August 24, he made the announcement by posting an emotional video on social media. The left-handed batsman, known as ‘Gabbar,’ had been out of the team for a long time.
With the emergence of young openers like Shubman Gill, his return to the team seemed unlikely. There is no update yet on whether he will continue playing in the IPL. Now almost 39 years old, Shikhar Dhawan first played ODI cricket for India in 2010, followed by opportunities to debut in T20 and then Test formats.
Current captain Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan opened the innings for the Indian team for many years, and both were known for giving the team explosive starts. Dhawan made his Test debut on the tour of Australia, where he stunned the selectors by scoring the fastest century by a debutant. Hailing from Delhi, Dhawan was an aggressive batsman, famous for dismantling bowlers. His signature style of twirling his moustache and slapping his thighs after taking a catch will always be remembered.
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In the 2003-04 Under-19 World Cup, Dhawan was the Player of the Tournament, scoring 505 runs at an average of 84.16, including three centuries. However, his performance in the Ranji Trophy was not particularly impressive. After disappointing performances in the IPL and five ODIs, along with good performances from other Test openers, it seemed that Dhawan would be confined to domestic cricket and T20 leagues. But fate took a turn when both Sehwag and Gambhir suddenly lost form, giving the 27-year-old Dhawan an opportunity, which he seized and never looked back.
Shikhar Dhawan was the first player to score back-to-back centuries in the IPL. He also holds the record for the most fours in the IPL. In terms of total runs, he is second only to Virat Kohli. Dhawan won the IPL in 2016 with Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH).
Besides Sunrisers Hyderabad, Shikhar Dhawan has played for Delhi Daredevils (DD), Delhi Capitals (DC), Deccan Chargers, Mumbai Indians (MI), and Punjab Kings (PBKS). Dhawan has also captained both Punjab Kings and SRH.