Shikhar Dhawan, fondly nicknamed 'Gabbar,' has truly been one of the most unforgettable persons in Indian cricket. This left-handed batsman, who became a key opening partner for Team India, turned into a nightmare for bowlers worldwide. Dhawan's life is a story of hard work, perseverance, and consistent performance. As Shikhar Dhawan announces his retirement, let's look back at his remarkable career and achievements. Early Life and Domestic Career of Shikhar Dhawan Image Source: The Chromosome Born on December 5, 1985, in Delhi, India, Shikhar Dhawan grew up in a Punjabi family. His schooling was at St. Mark's Senior Secondary Public School in Meera Bagh, Delhi. Dhawan's cricketing journey began when he joined the Sonnet Club at the age of 12; there, he came under the famous coach Tarak Sinha. Initially, Dhawan used to play as a wicketkeeper before focusing on batting. Dhawan first made his mark in the 1999/2000 Vijay Merchant Trophy, playing for Delhi Under-16s. He became the highest scorer in the 2000/01 tournament, when he led Delhi to a runners-up finish. Fine performances got him into the India Under-17 squad for the 2000/01 ACC Under-17 Asia Cup, where, in three matches, he averaged 85. Image Source: ESPNcricinfo In October 2002, Dhawan was included in the Delhi Under-19 team for the Cooch Behar Trophy. He finished that series with 388 runs in 8 innings at an average of 55.42, with two centuries. His good form meant he got a place in the North Zone Under-19 team for the Vinoo Mankad Trophy in January 2003. In the 2006–07 Ranji season, Dhawan continued his superb form as he scored a century against Tamil Nadu batting at number three. Though he had to compete with international stars Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir and Ashish Nehra, Dhawan was asked to lead the Delhi team in the 2007 Ranji One-day Trophy. In the same season of Ranji Trophy 2007–08, that Delhi won, Dhawan scored 570 runs in 8 matches at an average of 43.84, also notching up a double century. His efforts in the Duleep Trophy and Vijay Hazare Trophy further proved his billing as a consistent batsman. Though he suffered a bit during the initial phase of his career, Dhawan made an excellent comeback in the 2008-09 Ranji season with 415 runs at an average of more than 69. He then carried on this fine form in the Ranji Trophy and Challenger Trophy for India Red and made his team win. Also Read | Fastest ODI Centuries by Indian Players International Career of Shikhar Dhawan Image Source: Getty Images Shikhar Dhawan made his international debut in October 2010, but it was in 2013 that he finally had the world joining in his joy. He made a fine 187 off 174 balls in his Test debut against Australia in Mohali and set the record for the fastest hundred by any batsman on Test debut. The opening partnership with Rohit Sharma became one of the most successful in international cricket. He was the top scorer in the 2013 ICC Champions Trophy, winning the Golden Bat award and the title of Player of the Tournament. That was India's last major ICC tournament victory. Dhawan continued to turn in good performances for India in ensuing years. He was the highest scorer for India in the 2015 ICC Cricket World Cup and 2017 ICC Champions Trophy, for which he won the Golden Bat award for the second time. Dhawan also holds the record of maximum number of centuries in ICC Champions Trophy history along with Chris Gayle, Herschelle Gibbs, and Sourav Ganguly. In 2018 he became the first Indian to score a century in his 100th ODI match and only the Indian to score a century before lunch on the first day of a Test match. While the graph was on the rise, setbacks hit Dhawan in the form of an injury during the 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup, owing to which he had to withdraw after playing a match-winning century against Australia. Dhawan has been an important part of the Indian team, compiling seven centuries in Test cricket and 17 centuries in ODIs. However, he hasn't registered a century in T20 Internationals. Also Read | Top 10 Cricketers with Most Runs in Test Cricket Shikhar Dhawan - Indian Premier League (IPL) Image Source: The Quint Shikhar Dhawan has been a part of the Indian Premier League since its commencement in 2008. He started playing for Delhi Daredevils but has played for several other teams suchy as Deccan Chargers, Mumbai Indians, Sunrisers Hyderabad, Delhi Capitals and Punjab Kings. In 2013, he led the Sunrisers Hyderabad in the Champions League Twenty20 Tournament. In 2019, Dhawan became the first player to score back-to-back centuries in the IPL for Delhi Capitals. In 2022, he was bought by Punjab Kings, and in the same season, he reached the milestone of 6,000 IPL runs, the only second player after Virat Kohli to achieve this record. In 2023, Dhawan was named captain of the Punjab Kings. Stats of Shikhar Dhawan Format Mat Inns NO Runs HS Ave BF SR 100s 50s 4s 6s Ct Tests 34 58 1 2315 190 40.61 3458 66.94 7 5 316 12 28 ODIs 167 164 10 6793 143 44.11 7436 91.35 17 39 842 79 83 T20Is 68 66 3 1759 92 27.92 1392 126.36 0 11 191 50 19 FC 122 202 10 8499 224 44.26 14372 59.13 25 29 - - 120 List A 302 298 23 12074 248 43.90 - - 30 67 - - 149 T20s 334 331 34 9797 106* 32.98 7816 125.34 2 70 1108 228 136 Shikhar Dhawan - Top Records and Achievements Image Source: The Tech Outlook - Fastest Test century by any debutant: 187 off 174 balls - Highest run-scorer for India in the 2015 ICC World Cup - Maximum ODI centuries in 2013 - Wisden Cricketer of the Year, 2014 - First Indian batsman who scored a century before lunch on the first day of a Test match - Fastest Indian to reach 1000, joint-fastest, 2000, and 3000 ODI runs - Most runs in ICC Champions Trophy in 2013 and 2017 - Fastest batsman to reach 1000 runs in ICC tournaments - Highest run-scorer of Asia Cup 2018 - First player in IPL history to score two back-to-back centuries, 2020 - The Government of India awarded Dhawan the Arjuna Award for his outstanding achievements in cricket in 2021. Facts about Shikhar Dhawan - Sonnet Cricket Club Alumni: Coached by Tarak Sinha from the age of 12. - Wicketkeeper by Word: He initially was a wicketkeeper - Represented Masters Before Representing the Nation: He played for the Masters in a Tsunami Relief Tournament in 2005. - Opening with MS Dhoni: He opened the innings alongside Dhoni in the 2005 Challenger Trophy. - Ashish Nehra and He Swapped: He was transferred from Delhi Daredevils to Mumbai Indians in IPL 2009. - Bike Lover: He owns a Suzuki Hayabusa. - Body Art: Sports a few tattoos, one of which reads, "Carpe Diem." - Nicknames: Known as 'Jaat-ji' and 'Gabbar.' Conclusion The career of Shikhar Dhawan has been a testament to perseverance, skill, and fabulous success. His journey from domestic cricket fields to becoming one of the most reliable openers for India; Dhawan earned such a legacy that will always be etched in memory. As he steps away from the sport now, he leaves behind a legacy for Indian cricket that shall be remembered and celebrated in the years to come. Also Read | Virat Kohli vs Rohit Sharma – Who Reigns Supreme