Shikhar Dhawan Career

Shikhar Dhawan bid goodbye to his cricketing career (X)

Shikhar Dhawan, born on December 5, 1985, in Delhi, India, into a Punjabi family, displayed a prodigious talent for cricket from a young age.

Shikhar Dhawan Early Career

His journey began at St. Mark's Senior Secondary Public School in Meera Bagh, Delhi, and he trained at the prestigious Sonnet Club under the guidance of coach Tarak Sinha.

Originally a wicket-keeper, Shikhar Dhawan transitioned to a left-handed opening batter, a move that would define his career.

Shikhar Dhawan during his early cricketing days (X)

His early performances in the Vijay Merchant Trophy during the 1999/00 and 2000/01 seasons were nothing short of exceptional, making him the leading run-scorer for Delhi Under-16s.

His performances in the 2004 ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup were particularly noteworthy, as he finished as the tournament's leading run-scorer with 505 runs, including three centuries, earning him the Player of the Tournament award. This early success set the stage for what would become a stellar cricketing career.

Shikhar Dhawan Domestic Career

Shikhar Dhawan in Ranji Trophy (X)

Dhawan made his first-class debut for Delhi in the Ranji Trophy 2004-05 season, where he quickly established himself as a reliable top-order batter.

In his debut season, he emerged as Delhi's leading run-scorer, accumulating 461 runs from six matches. His ability to score runs consistently across formats was evident as he continued to impress in domestic competitions, including the Ranji One-Day Trophy and the Duleep Trophy.

Over the years, Dhawan became a mainstay in Delhi's batting lineup, regularly scoring centuries and leading the team in various domestic tournaments.

His performances in the Challenger Trophy and for India A in the EurAsia Cricket Series in 2006 further solidified his reputation as one of India's most promising young batters.

Why Was Shikhar Dhawan Called ‘Gabbar’? Here's An Interesting Anecdote

Shikhar Dhawan ODI Career

Shikhar Dhawan had a stellar ODI career (X)

Dhawan's One Day International (ODI) career began on October 20, 2010, when he made his debut against Australia in Visakhapatnam. Although his debut innings was brief, Dhawan soon established himself as a crucial part of India's ODI setup.

His breakthrough came during the ICC Champions Trophy 2013 in England, where he was the leading run-scorer with 363 runs, earning the Golden Bat award and the Player of the Tournament title as India lifted the trophy.

Dhawan's aggressive yet stylish batting made him a formidable opening partner alongside Rohit Sharma. He was India's leading run-scorer in the ICC World Cup 2015, where he scored 412 runs, helping India reach the semifinals.

Throughout his ODI career, Dhawan was known for his consistency, amassing 6,000 runs in ODIs and scoring 17 centuries. His record of scoring a century in his 100th ODI match, the first Indian to achieve this feat, cemented his legacy as one of India's finest ODI batters.

Shikhar Dhawan Test Career

Shikhar Dhawan is one of the most attacking openers Test cricket has seen (X)

Dhawan's Test debut came on March 14, 2013, against Australia in Mohali, where he made an immediate impact by scoring 187 runs off 174 balls.

This innings, the fastest century on Test debut, remains the highest score by an Indian on Test debut. Despite his early success, Dhawan's Test career was marked by fluctuations in form, with several high scores interspersed with lean patches.

He continued to impress in series against Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, scoring back-to-back centuries in away Tests, joining the ranks of Indian greats like Sunil Gavaskar and Rahul Dravid.

Despite his talent, Dhawan struggled to find consistency in the longest format, which led to periods of exclusion from the Test side.

However, his performances in the 2017 series against Sri Lanka and the 2018 Test against Afghanistan, where he became the first Indian to score a century before lunch on the first day of a Test, are remembered as highlights of his Test career.

Shikhar Dhawan T20I Career

Shikhar Dhawan had a decent T20I career (X)

Dhawan made his T20 International (T20I) debut for India on June 4, 2011, against the West Indies. Known for his aggressive approach, Dhawan was a natural fit for the shortest format of the game. Although his T20I career did not reach the same heights as his ODI career, he still played several impactful innings.

Dhawan's ability to provide quick starts was instrumental in India's T20I successes, and he finished as the highest run-scorer in T20Is in 2018, amassing 689 runs. His consistency in the format earned him a place in the ICC's T20I Team of the Year in 2018.

Shikhar Dhawan IPL Career

Shikhar Dhawan ended his IPL career with Punjab Kings (X)

Dhawan's Indian Premier League (IPL) journey began in 2008, and he quickly established himself as one of the most consistent performers in the league.

He represented several franchises over the years, including Delhi Daredevils, Mumbai Indians, Sunrisers Hyderabad, Delhi Capitals and Punjab Kings. Dhawan's ability to anchor innings and accelerate when needed made him a valuable asset in T20 cricket.

One of the highlights of his IPL career was in the 2020 season, where he became the first player in IPL history to score back-to-back centuries. He also crossed the 5,000-run mark in the IPL, joining an elite group of players.

In 2022, Dhawan was bought by Punjab Kings for ₹8.25 crores and was later announced as the team's captain for the 2023 season.

Shikhar Dhawan Retirement

On August 24, 2024, Dhawan called time on his cricketing career. The legendary southpaw made the announcement on his official social media handles as he called time on his glorious career.