Veteran Indian cricketer Shikhar Dhawan, one of the country’s best white-ball openers, announced his retirement from international and domestic cricket on Saturday, August 24. Dhawan shared his decision with fans via a heartfelt video on his social media accounts.
Dhawan’s last appearance for India was in an ODI against Bangladesh in December 2022. Over his career, he scored 10,867 international runs in 269 matches, including 24 centuries and 44 fifties. He is India’s 12th highest run-scorer across all formats. Dhawan also played more than 400 domestic matches for Delhi since his debut in 2004.
The left-handed batter made his international debut against Australia in an ODI in Visakhapatnam, where he was dismissed for a two-ball duck. However, he returned to the Indian team in 2013 and soon established himself in all three formats with consistent performances.
Announcing My Retirement From International And Domestic Cricket – Shikhar Dhawan
In his announcement, Dhawan expressed deep gratitude for his cricketing journey, thanking his childhood coaches, Tarak Sinha and Madan Sharma, for their guidance. He emphasized that playing for India had been his lifelong dream, and he was proud to have achieved it.
“I always had one goal in mind—to play for India—and I achieved it with the help of many people, especially my family and my childhood coaches, Tarak Sinha and Madan Sharma. Under their guidance, I learned the game. I’ve had the honor of playing alongside great teammates, gaining another family, and receiving immense love and support from fans. As they say, to move forward in life, you must turn the page. So today, I’m doing just that, announcing my retirement from international and domestic cricket,” Dhawan said in the video.
I Played A Lot For My Country – Shikhar Dhawan
The 38-year-old cricketer expressed satisfaction with his career, saying he gave his best for his country. He also thanked the BCCI, DDCA, and his fans for their unwavering support. Dhawan stated that representing India was his greatest achievement.
“And now, as I bid farewell to my cricketing journey, I feel fulfilled knowing that I gave my all for my country. I’m truly grateful to the BCCI (Board of Control for Cricket in India) and DDCA (Delhi & District Cricket Association) for giving me this opportunity, and to all my fans for their love and support. I remind myself not to be sad that I won’t play for my country again, but to be happy that I had the chance to play for India. That is my greatest achievement,” Dhawan added.
Shikhar Dhawan had a remarkable Test debut on March 16, 2013, where he scored the fastest century by a debutant in just 85 balls. He also delivered stellar performances in ICC ODI tournaments, winning the ‘Golden Bat’ as the top run-scorer in the 2013 and 2017 Champions Trophies.
Born in Delhi, Dhawan was India’s top run-scorer in the 2015 ODI World Cup. In his ODI career, he scored 6,793 runs in 167 matches at an average of 44.11 and a strike rate of 91.35, including seven centuries and five fifties. In T20Is, Dhawan scored 1,759 runs in 68 matches, averaging 27.92 with a strike rate of 126.36.