Shikhar Dhawan announced his retirement through an emotional video message on social media on Saturday. He is now retired from all forms of international and domestic cricket. The 38-year-old Dhawan played his last match in this year’s IPL. He was a destructive opening batsmen who played with a great strike rate. He had won many games for India with his aggressive batting.
“It’s important to turn the page to move forward in life and that’s why I am announcing my retirement from international and domestic cricket,” Dhawan said in a video message. “I am leaving with peace in my heart that I played for so long for India. I tell myself not to feel sad that you will not play for India anymore, but to feel happy that you played for your country.” Shikhar Dhawan
Shikhar Dhawan’s career:
He played for India in all three formats, but his most promising numbers are in ODI’s . He opened the innings with Rohit Sharma, and they became the best opening pair for India. They have 18 hundred-run opening stands. Shikhar Dhawan scored 24 hundreds in his career, out of which 17 were in ODI’s.
Shikhar Dhawan made his ODI debut against Australia in 2010, where he got out for a duck. He made his Debut against the same opponent after three years. The story was different this time he scored the fastest hundred on debut for an Indian in Test a 100 of 85 balls. He played a match-winning innings of 184 (174). After that day, his ERA started in Indian cricket.
In the same year, he played the Champions Trophy for India and he was the highest run scorer. He scored 363 runs in 5 matches with an average of 90.75 and a 100+ strike rate. He was awarded with the golden bat. 2013 was the best year of his career; he made 1162 runs in ODI’s at an average of 52.50 with a strike rate of 97.
Shikhar Dhawan was a big match player. He has the best numbers for India in all the big tournaments. Including ODI ICC events and Asia Cups, he has played 29 matches and scored 1772 runs at an average of 63.2 and a strike rate of 96.09. He got 8 hundred and 6 fifties.
Shikhar Dhawan played for a decade and made his name in the field of cricket with his promising performances. He is one of the best openers India has had in this game. His records speak for him but at the end of his career, he was dropped from the Indian team. He failed to make a comeback. The Indian cricket team should’ve treated him better.
Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma write heartfelt notes for Shikhar Dhawan on his retirement.
“From your fearless debut to becoming one of India’s most dependable openers, you’ve given us countless memories to cherish. Your passion for the game, your sportsmanship and your trademark smile will be missed, but your legacy lives on. Thank you for the memories, unforgettable performances and always leading with your heart. Wishing you the best in your next innings, off the field, Gabbar!” Virat Kohli
“From sharing rooms to sharing lifetime memories on the field. You always made my job easier from the other end. THE ULTIMATE JATT,” Rohit Sharma
Statistics:
| Format | Matches | Runs | Avgerage | Strike Rate | 100s | Highest |
| Test | 34 | 2315 | 40.61 | 66.94 | 7 | 190 |
| ODI | 167 | 6793 | 44.11 | 91.35 | 17 | 143 |
| T20i | 68 | 1759 | 27.92 | 126.36 | 0 | 92 |
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