The 38-year-old opener Shikhar Dhawan announced his retirement through a social media post. He called up his time on his 14-year international career after featuring in the IPL 2024 season.
Dhawan has 24 international hundreds (17 ODI hundreds and Seven in Tests) to his name playing 269 matches across all formats.
“It’s important to turn the page to move forward in life and that’s why I am announcing my retirement from international and domestic cricket,” he said in a video.
“I am leaving with peace in my heart that I played so long for India. I’ve told myself don’t feel sad that you won’t play for India anymore, but feel happy that you played for the country.”
He thanked everyone who supported him in his remarkable career. “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. First of all, my family, my childhood coaches, and then my team that I played with for so many years. I got a new family, fame, and love. But it is said that to move forward, you need to flip the pages,” said Dhawan in the video.
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 is considered one of the greatest ODI batters, being one of the eight batters with 4000 runs at 40 plus average and a 90 plus strike rate in the format’s history. His last ODI appearance comes from the ODI series against Bangladesh in December 2022.
His ODI records topped his records in the other two formats. He made an 85-ball century against Australia in Mohali during his test debut and went on to score a match-winning 187 runs.
His form peaked during the 2013 season when he made 1162 runs in ODIs at an average of 50.52 and a strike rate of 97.89. He scored 363 runs in five innings including two centuries during India’s triumph at Champions Trophy.
The tournament was the start of the partnership between Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan as openers which turned out to be the fourth-best pair in ODIs and the second successful pair for India after Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly.
Dhawan crowned himself as the highest run scorer in several ODI tournaments for India namely Asia Cup 2014, World Cup 2015, Champions Trophy 2017, and Asia Cup 2018.
Dhawan’s ODI career was hit by a blowback when he sustained a thumb injury midway through the World Cup in England, after a century against Australia in The Oval. Dhawan’s Contributions were rewarded with short captaincy stints during the last leg of his international career when he would lead India’s second-string strides in the absence of regulars.
Shikhar Dhawan’s 137 runs against South Africa at the MCG in the 2015 Cricket World Cup was one of the stunning knocks as he took on the likes of Morne Morkel, Dale Steyn, Wayne Parnell, and Vernon Philander to the cleaners.
Dhawan has played for Delhi Capitals, Mumbai Indians, Deccan Chargers, Sunrisers Hyderabad, and Punjab Kings in the IPL, where he’s currently the second-highest run-getter behind Kohli. He has amassed 6769 runs and came across 221 innings at a strike rate of 127.14.
As a domestic cricketer, Dhawan’s early years coincided with Ranji Trophy success for Delhi and was also the top run scorer for India at the U-19 World Cup in 2004.
