Shikhar Dhawan Announces Retirement from International and Domestic Cricket
Shikhar Dhawan, one of India’s most prolific opening batsmen, has announced his retirement from international and domestic cricket through a heartfelt social media post on Saturday morning. Dhawan, who last played a competitive game in April 2024, leading Punjab Kings in the IPL, retires with an impressive record of 24 hundreds—17 in ODIs and seven in Tests—across 269 international matches.
In a video message, Dhawan reflected on his decision: “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. 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.”
Dhawan made his debut for India in 2010 and leaves as one of only eight ODI batsmen with over 5000 runs at a 40-plus average and a 90-plus strike rate—a list that includes fellow Indian legends Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. Across his career, Dhawan amassed 6793 runs in 167 ODIs at an average of 44.11 and a strike rate of 91.35. His last ODI appearance was against Bangladesh in Chattogram in December 2022.
In Test cricket, Dhawan played 34 matches, scoring 2315 runs at an average of 40.61. In 68 T20Is, he accumulated 1759 runs with a strike rate of 126.36. While his ODI numbers were particularly outstanding, it was in Tests that Dhawan first made his mark, with a blazing 85-ball century on debut against Australia in Mohali in 2013, the fastest by any debutant. He went on to score 187 in a match-winning effort.
Dhawan’s career reached its peak in 2013 when he scored 1162 runs in 26 ODIs at an average of 50.52 and a strike rate of 97.89. That year, he was the top scorer in India’s title-winning campaign at the Champions Trophy, amassing 363 runs in five innings, including two centuries. This tournament also marked the beginning of a legendary opening partnership with Rohit Sharma. Together, they formed one of the most successful ODI opening pairs, with 18 century stands—second only to the iconic duo of Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly.
As Dhawan bids farewell to cricket, he leaves behind a legacy of grit, elegance, and memorable performances that will be cherished by fans and fellow players alike.
Shikhar Dhawan: The Elegant Southpaw Who Left a Lasting Legacy
Shikhar Dhawan (born 5 December 1985) is a former Indian cricketer who dazzled fans with his stylish left-handed batting for over a decade. An opening batter, Dhawan represented the Indian cricket team with distinction and also played for Delhi in domestic cricket. Known for his exceptional performances in ICC tournaments, Dhawan boasts a remarkable batting average of 65.15 in ICC World Cups and Champions Trophies, the highest among batters with at least 1000 runs in these prestigious events. He was named ‘Player of the Tournament’ in the 2013 ICC Champions Trophy and emerged as India’s leading run-scorer at the 2015 Cricket World Cup.
Dhawan made his One Day International (ODI) debut against Australia in October 2010 at Visakhapatnam. His Test debut came in March 2013 against the same opposition in Mohali, where he announced himself in grand style by scoring the fastest century on Test debut (off just 85 balls). He ended that innings with a monumental 187 runs from 174 balls, setting the record for the highest score by an Indian on Test debut.
In August 2013, Dhawan delivered one of the most remarkable performances in List A cricket, scoring 248 runs off 150 balls for India A against South Africa A in Pretoria, marking the then-second-highest individual score in a List A match. During the 4th ODI against South Africa in Johannesburg, he became the first Indian and the ninth overall to score a century in his 100th ODI game. Dhawan continued to break records and made history again on 14 June 2018, becoming the sixth batsman and the first Indian to score a century before lunch on the first day of a Test match, this time against Afghanistan.
After an illustrious career, Dhawan announced his retirement from all forms of cricket on 24 August 2024, leaving behind a legacy of elegance, consistency, and numerous records that will be remembered for years to come.
World Cup through the years
The Ultimate ICC event player. Shikhar Dhawan is the individual equivalent of the Australian team post the 1999 World Cup – regardless of merit or form, he has a knack of attaining his peak form just before World events. Such was the case ahead of the 2019 World Cup, where an incredible IPL season a few months earlier made him the mainstay for the International side.
Dhawan started with a bang, as he scored a sensational match-defining hundred against Australia in the group stages despite nursing a finger injury sustained during the match. That finger injury proved to be a fracture which ruled out Dhawan from the World Cup, with KL Rahul being asked to deputize as opener for the rest of the tournament. In India’s 2015 World Cup campaign, Dhawan was the team’s highest run-getter with 412 runs, scoring at an average in excess of 50, with two crucial knocks in pressure games against major teams – 137 against South Africa, and a useful 73 against Pakistan.
