(MENAFN- AsiaNet News) Indian cricket stalwart Shikhar Dhawan has officially announced his retirement from international and domestic cricket, bringing an end to a distinguished career that saw him excel in ICC tournaments. The left-handed opener, known for his ability to deliver in crucial matches, made significant contributions to India's successes on the global stage.
Dhawan debuted in 2013 under the captaincy of MS Dhoni and quickly established himself as a reliable opener. His cricketing journey blossomed further under the leadership of Virat Kohli, who, like Dhawan, hails from Delhi. The duo shared a strong bond, having played domestic cricket together for several years.
One of Dhawan's most memorable performances came during the ICC Champions Trophy 2013, where he was named the Player of the Tournament. His explosive batting at the top of the order was instrumental in India clinching the title. Dhawan continued his fine form in subsequent ICC events, playing a crucial role in India's campaign during the 2019 ODI World Cup.
In a group stage match against Australia at The Oval in June 2019, Dhawan produced one of his finest innings, scoring a scintillating 117 runs. Despite being struck on his left thumb by a delivery from Pat Cummins early in his innings, Dhawan persevered and went on to hit 16 boundaries in his 109-ball knock.
“I have a few favourite innings that are close to my heart, especially the 2019 World Cup," Dhawan told Hindustan Times.“We were playing a match against Australia. I was batting on 25 when I broke my thumb. The ball came at 150 clicks and hit my here (pointing at his left thumb). I popped painkillers and scored 117 from there."
This century marked his 17th in ODIs and his third in World Cup history, placing him among the elite group of players such as Pakistan's Ramiz Raja, Australia's Matthew Hayden, West Indies' Vivian Richards, Pakistan's Saeed Anwar, and Sri Lanka's Sanath Jayasuriya, who have all scored three centuries in World Cup tournaments.
During that match, Dhawan also became the fastest player to score 1,000 ODI runs on English soil, achieving the milestone in just 19 games with an impressive average of 64.76 and a strike rate of 101.28. His efforts helped India post a formidable total of 352/5, ultimately leading to a 36-run victory over Australia.
However, the injury Dhawan sustained during that match turned out to be more serious than initially thought. While the Indian team traveled to Nottingham for their next game against New Zealand, Dhawan was sent to Leeds for scans and medical consultation. The results revealed the severity of his injury, leading to his premature exit from the World Cup. He was replaced by Rishabh Pant for the remainder of the tournament.
Shikhar Dhawan's retirement marks the end of an era for Indian cricket. His contributions, particularly in ICC tournaments, will be remembered as some of the most significant in the sport's history.
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