Many years ago, as the Indian team was playing fun football ahead of a nets session, Shikhar Dhawan tried to do something spectacular with his feet. It didn’t come off and he fell on the floor. It had his teammates in stitches. As he dusted himself off, Dhawan wore a sheepish smile. That was the man, ‘Gabbar’ or ‘Jatt Ji’ to his colleagues, who didn’t mind his pals making a joke at his expense.
Dhawan could make everyone around him positive. He was a very popular member of the dressing room. From Rohit Sharma to Virat Kohli and Ravichandran Ashwin, everybody liked him. No wonder then that Kohli penned a glorious tribute as Dhawan announced his retirement from professional cricket.
“Shikhar, from your fearless debut to becoming one of India’s most dependable openers, you’ve given us countless memories to cherish,” Kohli wrote on his X (the erstwhile Twitter) handle. “Your passion for the game, your sportsmanship and your trademark smile will be missed, but your legacy lives on. 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!”
Dhawan was an excellent ODI batsman. He was an accidental Test cricketer despite being a domestic cricket thoroughbred. Like Humphrey Bogart in Casablanca, who always had Paris, Dhawan will always have Mohali. He made 187 off 174 balls on his Test debut against Australia. He was stepping into Virender Sehwag’s shoes and it was a stunning effort. Overall, however, he overachieved in the red-ball format.
Even Dhawan’s coaches in Delhi were unsure about whether the southpaw, with an iffy technique against the moving ball, could make a mark in Test cricket. From that perspective, playing 34 Tests and scoring 2,315 runs at an average of 40.61 had been a good effort. But yes, he struggled against the moving ball, as his averages in England, Australia and South Africa – in the 20s in England and Australia, and 18 in South Africa – would attest.
For the Latest Sports News: Click Here
Dhawan, the ODI batter, was a different beast. He scored 6,793 runs in 167 ODIs, including 17 hundreds and 39 half-centuries. His strike-rate was a very impressive 91.35. Along with Rohit Sharma, he formed one of the most prolific opening partnerships in the history of 50-over cricket – the duo amassing 5,148 runs in 115 innings. Between them, they had 18 century partnerships.
Rohit was unabashed in his praise for his former opening partner. “From sharing rooms to sharing lifetime memories on the field. You always made my job easier from the other end. “THE ULTIMATE JATT,” he wrote on his social media handle.
And Dhawan was the king of the ICC events. In 20 innings in ICC 50-over tournaments – World Cups and Champions Trophies combined – he averaged 65.15 and hammered six centuries. Very few understood the format like he did. He never over-extended himself. Never tried to bludgeon the bowlers. He relied on his timing, picked the gaps to perfection, used the angles well and rotated the strike brilliantly.
Dhawan wasn’t the most graceful of left-handers. He didn’t have the silken grace of Sourav Ganguly, although his cover drivers were gorgeous. He could go aerial over mid-off as well. But his game was a tad limited and his strength lay in knowing his limitations.
Beyond his thigh-clap celebration and a boyish smile, Dhawan has a philosophical mind. He reads and analyses the game well. As he says fare-thee-well at the age of 38, a career in Hindi cricket commentary could well be on the cards.
Also Read: Bangladesh create history, register first-ever Test win over Pakistan