Shikhar Dhawan Announces Retirement from International and Domestic Cricket

Shikhar Dhawan, one of India’s most distinguished white-ball openers, has announced his retirement from international and domestic cricket. The 38-year-old veteran has clarified that while he is stepping away from representing India, he plans to continue playing in league cricket, particularly in the IPL. Dhawan last played for India in December 2022 in an ODI against Bangladesh. He retires with a remarkable record of 10,867 runs from 269 international matches, including 24 centuries and 44 fifties, cementing his place as a pivotal figure in Indian cricket over the last decade.

Reflecting on his decision, Dhawan said, “It’s not like it is a tough decision for me. I am not even emotional. I don’t want to cry or something. But mostly it’s gratitude and love. I have spent most of my life playing cricket, and I feel I’ve reached a stage where I want to rest now – from international and domestic,” he shared in an exclusive interview with Hindustan Times.

Career Highlights and Achievements

Dhawan, a late bloomer, made his international debut in an ODI against Australia in 2010, though he only found his stride three years later during the 2013 Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia, where he scored the fastest century on debut off just 85 balls. “My Test debut is my personal favourite. I came into the team and made that record. I scored 187. I always used to dream of playing for India and making world records,” Dhawan recalled fondly.

His explosive start in Tests paved the way for his ODI recall. At the 2013 Champions Trophy, he formed a formidable opening partnership with Rohit Sharma, scoring back-to-back centuries and finishing as the tournament’s top scorer with 363 runs, earning the Player of the Tournament award. This success solidified his reputation as India’s go-to batsman for ICC tournaments.

Dhawan continued his exceptional performance in the 2015 World Cup, becoming India’s highest scorer with 412 runs from eight matches, including a memorable 137 against South Africa. He continued to shine in the 2017 Champions Trophy, scoring 338 runs. Alongside Rohit Sharma, Dhawan formed India’s second-most successful opening pair in ODIs after Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly, with their partnership amassing 5,148 runs from 115 innings.

In the 2019 World Cup, despite a fractured thumb cutting his tournament short, Dhawan delivered a memorable century against Australia, his last hundred for India. While his form in T20Is dwindled, his IPL performances in 2020 and 2021 remained impressive, with 618 and 587 runs, respectively.

End of an Era

Despite being a key figure in India’s batting lineup, Dhawan’s international career gradually wound down as younger talents like Shubman Gill and Ishan Kishan emerged. In 2022, he captained India in the West Indies and featured in series against South Africa and New Zealand. However, Gill’s stellar performances edged Dhawan out of India’s World Cup plans, signaling the end of his road in ODIs.

Although his Test career, with 2,315 runs from 40 matches, didn’t meet initial expectations, Dhawan still had standout moments, such as his gritty 98 in Wellington against New Zealand in 2014 and his commanding 190 against Sri Lanka in Galle in 2017. However, after a challenging tour of England in 2018, he was dropped from the Test side and never returned.

In August 2023, Dhawan expressed his surprise at not being selected for India’s squad for the Asian Games, hinting at his eventual retirement. Despite showing glimpses of his former self, he admitted that his time in the Indian team had come to an end.

Shikhar Dhawan leaves behind a legacy of outstanding performances, particularly in white-ball cricket, and will be remembered as one of India’s most formidable and entertaining openers.

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