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August 24, 2024
His knack for delivering high scores in significant tournaments was particularly evident in ODI cricket.
With Shikhar Dhawan retiring from international and domestic cricket, let’s revisit some of his most significant performances across all formats.
At the 2004 Under-19 World Cup in Bangladesh, Shikhar Dhawan showcased the batting prowess he would later become known for. He scored 505 runs at an average of 84.16 and a strike rate of 93.51, emerging as the tournament’s highest run-scorer, with over 100 runs more than the second-placed Alastair Cook. In his seven innings, Dhawan hit three centuries and a fifty, earning him the Player of the Tournament award and helping India reach the semi-finals. His total of 505 runs was a record for the most in a single edition of the U-19 World Cup until Dewald Brevis of South Africa surpassed it by one run in 2022.
Dhawan made his debut for India in an ODI in 2010. Still, it wasn’t until 2013 that he secured a consistent spot in the national team.
His breakthrough came with his Test debut against Australia in March 2013. Although he admitted to feeling nervous, recalling his ODI debut against Australia, where he was dismissed for a two-ball duck, he showed no nerves in Mohali, scoring a brilliant century.
Reaching his hundred off just 85 balls, it remains the fastest century by a Test debutant. He scored 187, the highest score by an Indian on Test debut and the eighth-highest overall.
“I wasn’t really playing in a hurry,” he remarked afterward. “The fours were coming on their own after the ball hit the bat. I felt my shot selection was good and I played according to how I’d assessed the wicket. I didn’t feel that I rushed things. There was no strategy, I was hitting the ball well, I was middling the ball very nicely and the runs came on their own.”
Before the 2013 Champions Trophy in England, Dhawan had played only five ODIs over two and a half years from 2010 to 2011, scoring just 69 runs. That was about to change. He started the tournament with consecutive centuries against South Africa and the West Indies. He scored 48 against Pakistan, 68 against Sri Lanka, and a quick 31 off 24 balls in the rain-affected final against England. Dhawan ended the tournament with 363 runs in five innings, boasting an average of 90.75 and a strike rate of 101.39, helping India secure the title.
“I’d dreamt of this, I’m really happy with it,” Dhawan commented after receiving the Player of the Tournament award. “The bouncy tracks suit my game. I worked hard in practice and in the warm-up games. It makes it more special because I was out of the side for a few years.”
The year 2013 truly belonged to Dhawan. Building on the confidence gained from his Test and Champions Trophy performances, he played for India A against South Africa A and dominated the hosts in Pretoria.
Batting first in a List A match, he scored 248 off just 150 balls, with 30 fours and seven sixes, leading India A to a total of 433 for 3 in 50 overs.Dhawan was dismissed with 32 balls still left in the innings, and he later admitted, “If I had batted till the end, I had a chance to score a triple hundred.”
It was an innings that impressed everyone, from then-head coach Lalchand Rajput to opposition captain Justin Ontong, who described it as a “highlights package.”
At the time, Dhawan’s 248 was the second-highest List A score globally and now ranks third among Indian batters, behind N Jagadeesan’s 277 against Arunachal Pradesh and Rohit Sharma’s 264 against Sri Lanka in an ODI.
Dhawan quickly developed a knack for scoring heavily in major tournaments.
Following the Champions Trophy, Dhawan led the run charts for India in both the 2015 ODI World Cup and the 2017 Champions Trophy. During the 2019 ODI World Cup, he scored a century against Australia before being sidelined with a fractured thumb. Among players who have scored at least 1,000 runs in ICC ODI tournaments, such as the World Cup and the Champions Trophy, Dhawan boasts the highest average: 65.15. In 20 matches, he accumulated 1,238 runs, including six hundred and four fifties.
Let’s not forget that Dhawan was India’s top run-scorer at both the 2014 and 2018 Asia Cups, demonstrating his ability to shine on the biggest stages.
Dhawan played for five teams in the IPL: Delhi Capitals (formerly Delhi Daredevils), Mumbai Indians, Deccan Chargers, Sunrisers Hyderabad, and Punjab Kings. He ranks as the second-highest run-scorer in IPL history, amassing 6,769 runs in 222 matches at an average of 35.25 and a strike rate of 127.14.
It took Dhawan 167 IPL innings to secure his first century, which he achieved against the Chennai Super Kings in 2020. He swiftly followed up with another century in the next game against Punjab Kings, becoming the first Player to score back-to-back centuries in IPL history.
Additionally, he holds the record for the most fours in the IPL, with 768, and ranks third for the most scores of 50 or more, with 53.
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Katarzyna Nowak is a seasoned writer with over five years of experience in editorial content, news reporting, and cricket sportsbook app reviews. As an author for Top Cricket News, she combines her deep understanding of the sports betting industry with a passion for cricket, delivering insightful and accurate content that keeps readers informed and engaged.
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