I’m at peace’: Flamboyant opener Shikhar Dhawan announces retirement from all forms of cricket

NEW DELHI: Veteran India opener Shikhar Dhawan announced his retirement from all forms of cricket two years after he last donned the national jersey, saying that he leaves the scene a content man after representing the country in all three formats.

The 38-year-old made his international debut in 2010 in an ODI against Australia in Visakhapatnam and his last India game was also a 50-over match, against Bangladesh in 2022.

“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!,” Dhawan said in a post on ‘X’.

“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.

As I bid goodbye to my cricket journey, I have peace in my heart that I played for so long,” he said.

A product of Sonnet Club and a fighter from West Delhi, Dhawan appeared in 34 Tests, 167 ODIs and 68 T20Is for India but had fallen out of favour in the last couple of years due to patchy form and emergence of younger opening talents like Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shubman Gill.

His best came in the 50-over format in which he amassed 6793 runs at an average of 44.11, including 17 hundreds and 39 fifties. He averaged 40.61 for his 2315 Test runs, which featured seven centuries.

“I am standing at a point in my life where when I look back, I see only memories, and when I look ahead, I see a new world. I had just one goal in life, to play for India, and I made it happen,” he said.

“I am very thankful to DDCA (Delhi and Districts Cricket Association), the BCCI and my fans. And that’s why I tell myself, don’t be sad that you won’t play for India again but be happy that you played for your country.

And that’s the biggest thing for me, that I played,” he said in his concluding remarks in the social media post.

The Delhi-born batter didn’t enjoy a memorable beginning to his international career, getting dismissed for a two-ball duck.

However, after initial struggles, Dhawan returned to the Indian team in 2013 and cemented his place across all three formats with some fine performances.

One of the highlights of his illustrious career was the brilliant 185 he scored against Australia on Test debut in Mohali, having raced to his century in just 85 balls with a flurry of boundaries.

Dhawan did not forget to thank the people who helped in becoming the player that he was, forming an excellent partnership with Rohit Sharma at the top of the Indian batting order.

He is a bonafide IPL legend, appearing in 222 matches, that yielded 6769 runs, including two hundreds and 51 half centuries.