Shikhar Dhawan announces retirement !!!!

சட்டம் தன்  கடைமையை செய்யும் [ the law will do its duty !] –   we hear often !!.    Chucking ! – many Cricketers have been complained of doing this …. Somehow, many Off-spinners have been called for chucking – not many fast bowlers with suspect action. .. .. ..

Retirements are  normal; We have seen so many in our lives with the passage of time…… it is a process where a person stops employment completely.  We are not speaking about anything forced but the natural retirement upon person reaching the prescribed age limit of 58 or 60….  In some ways, it is a happy event that somebody can take rest peacefully and perhaps devote his time and attention to religious or social activity ~ not required to work any longer…… retirement is  an emotional event for everyone and it is more emotional for the retiree.    

The first price of popularity is that one is hounded quite often of ‘retirement’……… the great genius writer Sujatha in his heydays was confronted in a student’s forum with the Q  : Sir, when will you stop writing ? Pat came the reply – ‘in the night ~ when I feel too sleepy’………… 

We have seen some great openers – Pankaj Roy, Sunil Gavaskar, Chetan Chauhan,Navjot Sidhu,  Krish Srikkanth, Sourav Ganguly, Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, Sadagoppan Ramesh,.. .. to name a few !!   .. .. today comes the news of retirement of an Indian Opener, whom we loved seeking, cut, drive and pull with ease !! 

He looked different and played differently too…………….with mush up, he presented a raw picture ~ but played refined shots and at times arrogant shots, hitting the ball all over the park.  He made his T20I debut against West Indies in June 2011 tour at Queen's Park Oval, under captaincy of Suresh Raina and opened along with wicket-keeper Parthiv Patel in which he scored 5 of 11 deliveries faced before being caught behind to keeper Andre Fletcher off captain Darren Sammy. 

Remember well seeing that 3^rd Test at Mohali, when India beat Australia by six wickets in Mar 2013.    Though the first session was dominated by Aussies, who went on to make 408 from 273/7  the next morning it was  a dream chase ~   Murali Vijay returning with an unbeaten 83 – completely overshadowed by the debutant Shikhar Dhawan 185 of 165 deliveries and looking solid towards  a double and perhaps more……… that he added only 2 next day is another story !

Dhawan is in the elite Company of Lala Amarnath, RH Shodhan, AG Kripal Singh, Abbas Ali Baig,  Hanumanth Singh, Gundappa Vishwanath, Surinder Amarnath, Azharuddin, Amre, Sourav Ganguly, Virendr Sehwag, Suresh Raina ~ the list of Indians who scored a century on debut – among that Vishwanath’s 137 had been the highest, overhauled by Shikhar.  

 

In 2013  in a list A game, he plundered  248 off 150 balls -  out of India A's giddying 433 for 3, in the virtual semi-final against South Africa A in Pretoria. Dhawan arrived at the century-mark off 86 balls with a straight-driven boundary in the 27th over, but found his nitro booster to rocket from there on. In the 28th over, he smashed his first six, off Juan Theron, and immediately followed it with another, signalling the start off an unprecedented attack. 

Shikhar Dhawan has announced his retirement from international and domestic cricket through a social media post on Saturday morning.  Dhawan's last competitive game was in April, leading Punjab Kings in IPL 2024. He retires with 24 hundreds (17 in ODIs and seven in Tests) across 269 international matches. 

"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."- well played Dhawan !! 

Dhawan, who made his India debut in 2010, retires as one of only eight ODI batters with over 5000 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 all, he scored 6793 runs in 167 ODIs at an average of 44.11 and a strike rate of 91.35. His last ODI was against Bangladesh in Chattogram in December 2022.  In 34 Tests, he scored 2315 runs at an average of 40.61, and in 68 T20Is, 1759 at a strike rate of 126.36. 

Dhawan's glorious run extended well past the Champions Trophy 2013 as he established himself as a key member of the ODI team over the next few years. He was the highest scorer for India in each of the next few ODI tournaments: Asia Cup 2014, World Cup 2015, Champions Trophy 2017 and Asia Cup 2018. Dhawan played for  Delhi Capitals, Mumbai Indians, Deccan Chargers, Sunrisers Hyderabad and Punjab Kings in the IPL, where he is the second-highest run-getter behind Kohli. His 6769 runs came across 222 matches at a strike rate of 127.14. 

In domestic cricket, Dhawan's early years coincided with the Ranji Trophy success for Delhi; he was part of the title-winning team in 2007-08 when Delhi beat Uttar Pradesh at the Wankhede. He was also the top run-scorer at the Under-19 World Cup in 2004.  In that tourney, he  smashed 505 runs, at an average of 84.16 and a strike rate of 93.51, to finish as the highest run-getter in the tournament, clear of second-placed Alastair Cook by more than 100 runs. 

In Dec 2015  Now at Feroz Shah Kotla, South Africa stonewalling for 143.1 overs and making 143 lost the match and Series by 0-3 margin.  Ravindra Jadeja had figures of 43-33-26-2.  In between, in trying to break the partnership between Amla and de Villiers, India employed Shikhar Dhawan, Murali Vijay, Virat Kohli and Cheteshwar Pujara.   After 53 overs, SA were only 49/2 – Dhawan came to bowl his off-breaks ? – the first ball did not land at all, Amla could not defend that and hit that for a four.  Off the 4th Saha dropped a catch; 5th lobbed off the bat, diving Pujara could not hold and 6th was another full, hit for a four – the best over for SA – and  Shikhar Dhawan was  reported for a suspect bowling action and had  to undergo tests within 14 days, the International Cricket Council (ICC) ruled. The man who rarely bowled and who took no wickets, was reported for suspect action !!

 

Well played – a successful impacting career Shikhar Dhawan, you can sure, rest on your laurels.  You would be remembered as one of the best openers who represented India.  Good luck and happy retired life.

 
With regards – S Sampathkumar
24.8.2024