India’s legendary opener Shikhar Dhawan explained his decision to retire from all forms of cricket, saying the lack of “inspiration” to continue playing domestic cricket or in the Indian Premier League (IPL). Dhawan, who retired in August at the age of 38, opened up about his decision while speaking on the sidelines of the Legends League Cricket event.
Dhawan, a stalwart of Indian cricket, played 34 Tests, 167 ODIs, and 68 T20Is between 2013 and 2022, leaving an indelible mark on the international stage. However, the explosive opener’s journey came to a close as he realized the passion that fueled his long-standing career had started to wane.
“I didn’t want to play domestic cricket, which I started playing at the age of 18 or 19, and I didn’t have that inspiration from inside to play that (form of) cricket,” Dhawan told PTI during the interview.
Dhawan rose to prominence as one of India’s premier white-ball players, particularly in ICC tournaments, where he holds the highest average (65.15) among all Indian batsmen. His illustrious career saw him become India’s 25th ODI captain, filling in for Rohit Sharma during a 2021 series against Sri Lanka. Dhawan led India in 12 ODIs, winning seven and losing three matches.
Despite his successful stint as captain, Dhawan’s international career gradually slowed as younger players like Shubman Gill took center stage. His last appearance for India came in December 2022, marking the end of a significant era for Indian cricket.
Dhawan also enjoyed an exceptional IPL career, playing 222 matches and accumulating 6769 runs, including two centuries and 51 half-centuries. He leaves the tournament as the player with the highest number of boundaries (768) and holds the distinction of being the first cricketer to hit consecutive centuries in IPL history.
Reflecting on his decision, Dhawan revealed that his cricketing journey had lost its momentum in recent years. “The last two years of my career, I wasn’t playing much international cricket, and I was playing IPL to IPL. So, I wasn’t playing much overall,” he explained. This sporadic involvement in competitive cricket led him to rethink his future in the game.
Dhawan, who captained Punjab Kings in IPL 2023, realized that practicing two to three months for IPL each year would not be sufficient to keep him in contention for a return to the national side. “I thought that continuing in the IPL and just putting in two or three months of hard work won’t be enough for me to go and play,” he added, acknowledging that his time in professional cricket had reached a natural conclusion.
Despite these realizations, Dhawan expressed immense satisfaction with his career and the milestones he achieved. “I was very happy, satisfied, and content with whatever I achieved in my career, and I’m very, very grateful for everything,” he said.
As one of India’s most dependable white-ball openers, Dhawan formed a formidable partnership with Rohit Sharma at the top of the order. Together, they scored 5,193 runs in ODIs, at an average of 45.15, and shared 18th-century stands.
Dhawan also spoke highly of Rohit Sharma’s success as a captain, particularly in leading India to their long-awaited T20 World Cup victory. “He’s a great captain, and I’m so happy that he led the team and won the World Cup for our nation,” Dhawan said, adding that Rohit’s leadership has taken the Indian
Source Agencies
