New Delhi: Shikhar Dhawan on Saturday announced his retirement from international cricket, brining curtains to his remarkable career of 14 years at the global stage and 20 years in domestic cricket. The 38-year-old finished with 10,867 runs from 269 matches across formats at an overall average of 39.66.
If Dhawan’s career has to be presented to a layman down the line then his records in the ICC tournaments cannot be ignored. Known as the ‘man of big occasions’ for India, Dhawan has never fretted from responsibility. He exuded flamboyance in his shots, composure on the crease, and was always animated with his tranquil approach on the field, especially the vibrant thigh-slapping celebration.
If Dhawan’s success at the ICC tournaments has to be traced then we need to move back to 2004. The left-handed batter was adjudged as player of the ICC U-19 World Cup 2004 in Bangladesh. He finished with most runs in the tournament with 505 runs in seven innings at an average of 84.16 with the help of three centuries. No other batter in that tournament managed to score more than 400 runs with England’s Alastair Cook amassing 383 runs as the second best.
India didn’t win the title after losing to arch-rivals Pakistan in the semi-final but it was a chapter for Dhawan – the promising cricketer – to flourish. But the player, who honed his skills at Sonnet Club in Delhi, had a long route to go through before hogging the spotlight.
It took Dhawan nearly a decade to feature in his next ICC tournament, his first for the senior Indian team, when he was included in MS Dhoni-led India squad for the 2013 ICC Champions Trophy in England and Wales. Dhawan ensured to make the opportunity count, blazing 363 runs in five innings at a phenomenal average of 90.75 to earn the player of the tournament award in India’s title triumph.
As I close this chapter of my cricketing journey, I carry with me countless memories and gratitude. Thank you for the love and support! Jai Hind! 🇮🇳 pic.twitter.com/QKxRH55Lgx
— Shikhar Dhawan (@SDhawan25) August 24, 2024
Dhawan finished as India’s highest run-getter in the 2015 World Cup played in Australia and New Zealand. The southpaw made 412 runs in eight innings at 51.50. He was among the five batters to register two centuries in the marquee event, though India couldn’t progress beyond the semi-final stage.
In the 2017 Champions Trophy, Dhawan once again finished as the top-scorer of the eight-team tournament. He made 338 runs in five innings but failed in the final against Pakistan leading India to suffer a humiliating 180-run defeat.
It was Dhawan stepping in the key matches that made massive difference. For India to beat Australia in the World Cup tournaments has always been an Achilles heel, though the 2011 World Cup was exception. Dhawan made it look possible at The Oval against Aaron Finch’s men in the 2019 World Cup, subduing the length and pace of Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins. The Delhi-born player scored 117 runs off 109 balls to help the team post 352 in the first innings as they eventually won by 36 runs.
During this stupendous innings, Dhawan completed his sixth century in the ICC tournaments. He was just one shy of equalling former India captain Sourav Ganguly’s record. However, that never happened as the player was ruled out of the rest of the tournament due to a thumb injury. The innings against the ‘mighty Aussies’ will be Dhawan’s last in an ICC tournament.
Not so good show in T20 World Cups
Dhawan played a massive role in the 50-over format but couldn’t do anything similar in the shorter version of the ICC biennial events. He was named in India’s 2014 T20 World Cup squad, however, after scoring just 31 runs in three innings, including a duck against the West Indies, the opener was replaced with Ajinkya Rahane for the last group match against Australia.
Nothing much progressed in the next edition hosted in India in 2016, with another underwhelming show with just 43 runs from four innings. He was once again replaced with Rahane in the semi-final against the West Indies in Mumbai. Dhawan wasn’t included in India’s T20 World Cup campaigns in 2021, 2022 and 2024.
The India left-hander has called time on his cricket career with immediate effect 👇https://t.co/TMqaU76fHu
— ICC (@ICC) August 24, 2024
Dhawan played his last Test in 2018 and was never a part of India’s either of World Test Championship finals in the 2019-21 and 2023-25 finals.
Shikhar Dhawan’s success at the ICC tournaments has to be traced then we need to move back to 2004. The left-handed batter was adjudged as player of the ICC U-19 World Cup 2004 in Bangladesh. Cricket Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
