Shikhar Dhawan announces retirement from international and domestic cricket

Shikhar Dhawan has announced his retirement from international and domestic cricket with immediate effect. 

The 38-year-old cricketer made the announcement through a video post on his social media handles on Saturday morning.

“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,” Dhawan said in a video message.

“I am leaving with peace in my heart that I played for so long for India. I tell myself not to feel sad that you will not play for India anymore, but to feel happy that you played for your country,” he added.

Shikhar Dhawan represented India in 34 Tests, 167 ODIs and 68 T20Is from 2010 to 2022. 

Having made his international debut in a One-Day International (ODI) against Australia in Visakhapatnam in October 2010, Dhawan accumulated over 10,000 runs in international cricket.

The flamboyant left-handed batter retired as one of the only eight ODI batters with more than 5,000 runs at a 40-plus average and a 90-plus strike rate. Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli are the other Indians in the list.

In 167 ODIs, Dhawan scored 6,793 runs at an average of 44.11 with 17 centuries and 39 fifties in the 50-over format. He played his last ODI against Bangladesh in Chattogram in December 2022.

In the longest format, Dhawan amassed 2,315 runs in 34 Tests at an average of 40.61 with seven hundreds and five fifties. He last featured in a Test against England at The Oval in September 2018. 

He also scored 1,759 runs in 68 T20Is at an average of 27.92 with 11 half-centuries to his name. His last T20I was in Sri Lanka in July 2021. 

Overall, Dhawan amassed 10,867 runs in 269 matches at an average of 39.66 across all formats. He slammed 24 centuries and 55 fifties in his illustrious international career.

Dhawan played a key role in helping the Indian cricket team clinch the ICC Champions Trophy in 2013 under the leadership of MS Dhoni.

The southpaw finished as the leading run-scorer in the tournament with 363 runs in five matches at an average of 90.75 and a strike rate of 101.39. He hit two hundreds and one fifty in the 50-over tournament in England and Wales.

Having made his reputation as an aggressive batter, Dhawan was later known as 'Mr ICC' for his consistency in the ICC tournaments.

He was the leading run-scorer for India in the ODI World Cup 2015 and also scored the most runs in the ICC Champions Trophy 2017 and Asia Cup 2018.

Dhawan was also a prolific run-scorer in the Indian T20 League since his debut in 2008. Having represented the likes of Team Delhi, Team Mumbai, Team Deccan, Team Hyderabad and Team Punjab, he is the second-highest run-getter in the marquee T20 tournament only behind Virat Kohli.

The swashbuckling batter scored 6,769 runs in 222 matches at an average of 35.26 and a strike rate of 127.14. He slammed two centuries and 51 fifties.

In domestic cricket, Dhawan was part of the Delhi cricket team that won the Ranji Trophy in 2007-08. 

Earlier, Dhawan rose to fame after he finished as the leading run-scorer at the Under-19 World Cup in 2004. He amassed 505 runs in seven matches, including three hundreds.

Get Shikhar Dhawan’s international and domestic career stats.

Shikhar Dhawan: International and domestic career stats

Photo credit: Imago