Over the years, Shikhar Dhawan has been an integral part of numerous victories for India across all formats…reports Asian Lite News
After an illustrious cricket career spanning over a decade, Indian cricketer Shikhar Dhawan has officially announced his retirement from all formats of international cricket and IPL.
Also known as Gabbar on and off the field, Dhawan is one of the most entertaining cricketers on the ground and thus his journey has been nothing short of remarkable.
Dhawan made his international debut in 2010 and quickly became a mainstay in the Indian cricketing setup, known for his explosive batting and charismatic presence on and off the field. Over the years, he has been an integral part of numerous victories for India across all formats.
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In his retirement announcement, Dhawan expressed gratitude and excitement about the future and said, “Representing my country on the international stage has been an incredible honor for me in my cricket journey, and wearing the Indian jersey will always hold a special place in my heart. I am deeply grateful & thankful to everyone who has been my backbone in this beautiful experience—my family, my relatives & friends, teammates, coaches, and, most importantly, a very big thanks to the loving fans who have been an incredible part of my journey and my life.”
Known for his successful cricket career, especially in limited-overs formats, Shikhar has been a key player for India and various IPL teams. His illustrious career reached the peak in the 2013 ICC Champions Trophy, where his exceptional performance earned him the esteemed “Mr ICC” tag as the tournament’s best player. His dynamic innings and crucial contributions were instrumental in India’s victories. He has been the first batsman to hit back to back centuries in IPL and holds record for hitting most fours in IPL. He has also captained both Punjab Kings and Sunrisers Hyderabad simultaneously which no other player has got an opportunity to lead so far.
Dhawan is all set to focus on his business ventures with the “DaOne Group, and his ownership of the Delhi Premier League team, South Delhi Superstars.”
He is looking forward to starting his new Innings in his life and career while continuing to make significant strides in fitness and lifestyle industries. His past ventures include a chain of fitness centers, a sports equipment line, and a wellness brand that promotes healthy living.
As he bids adieu to International cricket, Dhawan’s legacy will continue to inspire future generations of cricketers. His contributions to the game will be remembered fondly by fans, teammates, and cricketing experts alike. Dhawan’s announcement of his retirement marks the end of an era for the entire cricketing world.
‘Your Legacy Lives on’
One of the top opening batsmen in the history of India, Shikhar Dhawan announced his retirement from cricket via an emotional video on social media. Following the news of his retirement, many former and current cricketers took the time to congratulate ‘Gabbar’ on a wonderful career.
Over the course of the past decade the Indian national cricket team solidified themselves as one of the best batting units in the country. The team’s batting lineups spearheaded by the deadly opening partnership of Shikhar Dhawan and Rohit Sharma followed by Virat Kohli at number three was enough for India to be feared by bowlers around the globe.
“Shikhar @SDhawan25 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!
Dhawan and Virat Kohli played together for India from 2011-2022 in which they partnered up on 60 different occasions. The duo combined for 3430 runs and averaged a partnership score of 60.17 whilst stitching 10 centuries and 15 half-centuries
Rohit’s Tribute
Over the course of a 12 year period, Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan curated their reputation as one of the best opening partnerships in the game’s history. Following Dhawan’s retirement announcement, Rohit took the time to thank ‘The Ultimate Jatt’ for his services to the game and the country.
“From sharing rooms to sharing lifetime memories on the field. You always made my job easier from the other end. THE ULTIMATE JATT. @SDhawan25.” read the post by Rohit Sharma.
Together the Hitman and Gabbar batted together on 117 occasions and together scored 5193 runs which included 18 centuries and 15 half centuries. with their best ever innings being the 210 run partnership they stitched against Pakistan in the 2018 Asia Cup. In 117 innings they maintained a slot average partnership of 45.15.
Rohit and Dhawan are the third most successful batting partnership in the history of Indian cricket only behind Sachin Tendulkar-Sourav Ganguly and Rohit Sharma-Virat Kohli. Their outings also saw them placed at eighth place in the most successful partnership list.
Dhawan made his international debut in 2010 and quickly became a mainstay in the Indian cricketing setup, known for his explosive batting and charismatic presence on and off the field. Over the years, he has been an integral part of numerous victories for India across all formats.
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