Shikhar Dhawan, one of the dynamic opening batters of Indian cricket, played his last international game for India at the end of 2022 at Chattogram against Bangladesh. Having not gotten a call-up back in the side and seeing the young opener Shubman Gill cementing his place, the 38-year-old decided to put the curtains down on his successful 14 years of international cricket.
In the last 10-12 years, from the time he made his debut for the Blue Brigade, Shikhar Dhawan was one of the most versatile openers for the national side, as he shared a great opening partnership with Rohit Sharma before Virat Kohli used to join them at number three.
The trio has broken many records for the Indian side. Dhawan didn’t enjoy a smooth start in his Indian career when he was dismissed for a duck on his debut in 2010 against Australia in Vizag. When he made his way back in the side during the seven-match series in 2013 against the same opponent, he finished as the fourth-highest run-getter with 284 runs in six games at an average of 56.80 and a strike rate of over 100.
Sandeep Patil reveals the story behind Shikhar Dhawan debuting for India in Tests
Shikhar Dhawan made a fabulous debut for India in the longest format of the game during the 2013 season at the IS Bindra Stadium in Mohali, where he smashed the opponent side bowlers all around the park for a magnificent knock of 187 runs in 174 deliveries, shouldering on 33 boundaries and a couple of sixes.
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But wasn’t it easy to replace the former Indian opener and a star of the game, Virender Sehwag? Not at all is the answer. The 38-year-old, by then 27, wouldn’t have made it to the playing XI had not a certain former BCCI selector forced them to do so.
Sehwag has been struggling in the series with just 27 runs in three innings, heading into the third game in Mohali. It wasn’t that easy to drop the quality of the veteran and go for a young batter, but Sandeep Patil looked at the broader aspect and the future of the Indian cricket team to push Shikhar Dhawan into the squad. And as they say, it takes one aggressive decision to bring change, and that was it.
“Shikhar had form going for him. You have to pick players at the right time when they are among the runs. There are various examples of young players not being picked when they have runs to back them and if they don’t get picked, they feel very disappointed, and that is not a good thing. Yes, I had to press for his inclusion, and I am so glad he didn’t let me down.” Patil told Mid-Day recently.
Sehwag never played for India again, as the national team found the perfect replacement for the former aggressive opening batter. The Delhi-born blasted the Australian attack in all parts of the ground.
Former batting coach of the side, Vikram Rathour, who was a selector of the North Zone side, recalled watching Dhawan take full flight against the Aussies.
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“It (187) was a phenomenal innings. I remember we were laughing because he scored a run-a-ball 100 or even better than that. I remember him playing a reverse sweep when he was on 90.” The former wicket-keeper batter of the Indian team expressed in a conversation with ‘The Daily’. “It was surprising to see somebody who was playing his first Test against a big team play like that. He was very fearless, which was great to see, and that is how he played throughout his career.”
Shikhar Dhawan has joined the Legends League Cricket (LLC) and is expected to be in action during September.