India’s experienced opener, Shikhar Dhawan, has announced his retirement from both international and domestic cricket. In a heartfelt video posted on his official Instagram account, Dhawan shared his decision, reflecting on his illustrious career and expressing gratitude for the support he received. “I am standing at a point where when I look back, I only see memories and a new life when I look forward. It was always my dream to play for India, and I got to live it. I am thankful to a lot of people for that,” Dhawan stated. He acknowledged the roles of his family, childhood coaches, and teammates in his journey, and mentioned, “To move forward, you need to flip the pages.”
Dhawan’s career was marked by several impressive performances across formats. In One Day Internationals (ODIs), he played 167 matches, amassing 6,793 runs at an average of 44.1, including 17 centuries and 39 fifties. His prowess in ODIs made him a key player for India. In Test cricket, Dhawan scored 2,315 runs in 34 matches at an average of 40.6, highlighted by seven centuries and five half-centuries.
In T20 Internationals (T20Is), he accumulated 1,759 runs in 68 appearances, averaging 27.9, with 11 fifties. Dhawan’s domestic career was equally impressive; he played 122 First-Class matches, scoring 8,499 runs at an average of 44.26, including 25 centuries. In List A cricket, he featured in 302 matches, gathering 12,074 runs at an average of 43.90, with 30 centuries and 67 fifties.
Dhawan’s retirement marks the end of an era for Indian cricket, and his contributions to the sport will be remembered fondly by fans and colleagues alike.
