New Delhi: Star India batter Virat Kohli paid his tribute to former teammate Shikhar Dhawan who bid adieu to international and domestic cricket on Saturday. Both Dhawan and Kohli shared a great camaraderie on the field and will now continue to cherish the strong bond off the field. With many former and current Indian cricketers wishing Dhawan luck for the next innings of his life, a message from his Delhi buddy Kohli was expected.
Kohli and Dhawan, along with Rohit Sharma are well revered as a dangerous troika who strengthened the Indian top-order in ODIs from 2013 to 2019, giving fans countless memories. Expressing his respect towards Dhawan, Kohli took to “X” (formerly Twitter) and penned a heartfelt note for his dear friend.
“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,” Kohli wrote.
The former India skipper also expressed his gratitude towards Dhawan, who was well-known by his moniker “Gabbar”, for all the memories and wished the 38-year-old luck for his future endeavours.
“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!” Kohli added.
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…
— Virat Kohli (@imVkohli) August 25, 2024
Dhawan and Kohli were together since their U-19 paying days for Delhi. The batters hail from West Delhi and came through the ranks at almost the same time as youngsters and remained teammates for the Indian team for almost a decade.
Dhawan’s glittering career
Dhawan featured for India in 34 Tests, 167 ODIs, and 68 T20Is and amassed a total of 10,867 runs in international cricket (12th most for India) across formats with the help of 24 centuries and 79 fifty-plus scores. He notably became the Player of the Tournament in India’s Champions Trophy 2013 triumph by hitting the most runs (363) in the event.
He was the leading run-scorer for India in the 2015 ODI World Cup as well and also top-scored in the 2017 Champions Trophy. This made him earn the moniker of “Mr. ICC” as he was the most dependable of all for the Men in Blue in the top ICC events. In 2021, he was awarded with Arjuna Award for his outstanding achievement in sports. His exploits with Rohit Sharma as Team India opener are etched in the history books as they took the bowlers to the cleaners in some fashion.
Virat Kohli penned a heartwarming message for Shikhar Dhawan after he announced his retirement from all forms of cricket on Saturday. Cricket Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
