Shikhar Dhawan

International career

Shikhar Dhawan, a left-handed opening batsman from Delhi, became well-known in international cricket for his aggressive batting and match-winning performances. He made his ODI debut in 2010 and soon became one of India's most reliable openers, particularly in ICC tournaments. Dhawan's impressive batting average in World Cups and Champions Trophies (65.15) helped establish him as one of India's top ODI players.

2010:

• October 20: Dhawan made his ODI debut against Australia in Visakhapatnam. Although he was out after facing just two balls, it marked the start of his international career.

2011:

• June: Dhawan played his first T20I during India's tour of the West Indies. He was out for just 5 runs in his debut match.
• In ODIs, he scored 51 runs in his second series, contributing to India's win.

2013:

• March: Dhawan made his Test debut against Australia in Mohali. He impressed everyone by scoring 187 runs, including the fastest century by a debutant (85 balls). This century remains one of the highest scores by an Indian on debut.
• June: Dhawan was named Player of the Tournament at the ICC Champions Trophy. He scored 363 runs at an average of 90.75, with two centuries and a crucial 68 in the semifinal.
• August: He scored 248 runs off 150 balls for India A against South Africa A in a List A match, setting a high benchmark for individual scores in limited-overs cricket.

2014:

• January-March: Dhawan struggled for form during India’s tour of New Zealand but returned to his best with a century in the second Test against New Zealand.
• February: In the 2014 Asia Cup, he scored 192 runs but could not help India reach the final.
• March: Dhawan played in the 2014 World T20 and scored 30 runs against Pakistan. However, he didn’t make a significant impact in later matches.
• July-August: During India's tour of England for a 5-match Test series, Dhawan struggled but regained his form in ODIs. He scored an unbeaten 97 in the fourth ODI, which helped India win the series.

2015:

• January-February: Dhawan’s form dipped during India’s tour of Australia. He struggled to score consistently in the Carlton Mid ODI Tri Series but remained an important part of the team’s middle order.
• March-April: Dhawan had a strong performance in the 2015 Cricket World Cup and was one of India’s top run-scorers.

2016-2018:

• Dhawan continued to perform well in ODIs, scoring key runs in various matches. He played a crucial role in India’s success during the 2017 ICC Champions Trophy.

2019-2020:

• Dhawan had another solid World Cup performance in 2019, where he was one of India’s top run-scorers. Unfortunately, a thumb injury cut his tournament short.

2024:

• August 24: Dhawan announced his retirement from all forms of cricket, ending a career that spanned over a decade.

Leagues Participation

Shikhar Dhawan has been a consistent performer in the IPL since its inception. His journey through the league has seen him play for multiple franchises, taking on important roles and achieving key milestones over the years.

Indian Premier League (IPL)

Here’s a look at his journey in the league:

Year	Team	Position	Details
2013	Sunrisers Hyderabad	Captain	Led the team before Darren Sammy took over as captain.
2014	Sunrisers Hyderabad	N/A	Replaced by Darren Sammy as captain.
2017	Sunrisers Hyderabad	Opening batsman	Knocked out by Kolkata Knight Riders in the playoffs.
2018	Sunrisers Hyderabad	Opening batsman	Finished as runners-up, lost to Chennai Super Kings in the final.
2019	Delhi Capitals	Opening batsman	Joined Delhi Capitals after being traded from Sunrisers Hyderabad.
2020	Delhi Capitals	Opening batsman	Scored back-to-back centuries and became the 2nd player to reach 5000 runs.
2021	Delhi Capitals	Opening batsman	Finished 4th in the Orange Cap race with 587 runs.
2022	Punjab Kings	Opening batsman	Bought for ₹8.25 crores. Scored 6000 IPL runs and played 200th match.
2023	Punjab Kings	Captain	Became the new captain, replacing Mayank Agarwal.
2025	Not participating	N/A	Announced retirement, will not take part in the 2025 IPL auction.

As of 2025, Dhawan has played 222 IPL matches, scoring 6,769 runs at an average of 35.26. He has 2 centuries and 51 half-centuries, with a highest score of 106.

Domestic career

Shikhar Dhawan started his career in domestic cricket with strong performances. He was the top scorer for India in the Under-19 Cricket World Cup, which helped him get noticed. In November 2004, Dhawan played his first Ranji Trophy match for Delhi and ended the season as the team’s highest run-scorer.

He also made his first-class debut for Delhi against Andhra Pradesh in 2004, continuing to impress with his batting. In the following years, Dhawan had some ups and downs, including a difficult time during the 2005 Challenger Trophy and some India A tours. However, he bounced back in 2006-07, becoming the captain of Delhi for the One-day Trophy.

In the 2007-08 season, Dhawan was a key player in helping Delhi win the Ranji Trophy. Although he faced a rough patch in 2010, his performances in limited-overs matches for India A helped him regain form. He then earned a place in the Rest of India squad for the Irani Cup in 2010, which led to a national call-up.

Even though he became a regular in the Indian team, Dhawan continued to play for Delhi in domestic tournaments when possible. His last major domestic season was in 2012-13, after which he focused on his international career.

Other Leagues

Shikhar Dhawan joined Karnali Yaks for the 2024 Nepal Premier League. In December 2024, he scored his first fifty in the tournament.

Records and achievements

Shikhar Dhawan has achieved a lot in his cricket career. Below are some of his major records and awards:

Records:

• 2004: Most runs in the ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup (505 runs)
• 2013: Leading run-scorer in ICC Champions Trophy
• 2013: Fastest Test century by a debutant (85 balls)
• 2013: Highest score by an Indian on Test debut (187 runs)
• 2013: Most ODI centuries by an Indian in a year
• 2013: First Indian batter to score a century before lunch on the first day of a Test match
• 2014: Most runs for India in the ACC Asia Cup
• 2015: Most runs for India in the ICC Cricket World Cup
• 2013-2017: Won two consecutive Golden Bats at the ICC Champions Trophy
• 2013-2017: Joint-fastest Indian to reach 1,000 ODI runs
• 2013-2017: Fastest Indian to reach 2,000 ODI runs
• 2013-2017: Quickest Indian to reach 3,000 ODI runs
• 2017: Most runs in the ICC Champions Trophy
• 2018: Fastest batter to score 1,000 runs in an ICC tournament
• 2018: Most runs in a calendar year in T20Is (689 runs)
• 2018: Most runs in the ACC Asia Cup (342 runs)
• 2018: Highest rate of fifties turning into centuries among Indians in Tests (min. 2,000 Test runs)
• 2018: Fifth-fastest player to reach 6,000 ODI runs
• 2018: Joint second-most catches in an ODI innings by a fielder (4)
• 2018: Eighth-most consecutive innings without a duck in ODIs (61)
• 2018: Best batting average in ICC tournaments for players with at least 1,000 runs (65.15)
• 2018: First Indian to score a century in his 100th ODI
• 2019: Ninth player to score a century in his 100th ODI
• 2020: First player to score two consecutive centuries in the IPL
• 2021: Second-most ODI century partnerships with Rohit Sharma
• 2021: Fifth-best average in ODIs among Indians (min. 3,000 runs)
• 2022: Most fours in IPL (768)
• 2022: Second-most runs in IPL (6,769 runs)

Awards and Accolades:

• 2004: Player of the Tournament in ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup
• 2013: Golden Bat in ICC Champions Trophy
• 2013: Named in ICC World ODI XI
• 2013: CEAT International Player of the Year
• 2014: Wisden Cricketer of the Year
• 2016: Player of the Match in ACC T20 Asia Cup Final
• 2017: Golden Bat in ICC Champions Trophy
• 2018: CEAT International Batter of the Year
• 2021: Arjuna Award by the Government of India

Personal life

Shikhar Dhawan was born to Mahendra Pal Dhawan and Sunaina Dhawan in a Punjabi family in Delhi. He has a sister named Shreshta Dhawan. His parents supported him from a young age, helping him follow his love for cricket.

Dhawan is married to Ayesha Mukherjee, an amateur boxer from Melbourne. They have three children — two daughters from Ayesha's previous marriage and a son, Zoravar.

Finance

Shikhar Dhawan's net worth is around $15 million USD, which is about 125 Crore INR. Most of his wealth comes from his cricket career, brand deals, and other sources.

House and Cars

Dhawan owns a home in the Vasant Kunj area of Delhi, valued at over Rs 5 crore. He has a collection of luxury cars, including a Mercedes-Benz GLS 350d, Porsche Cayenne, BMW 7 Series, and Toyota Fortuner. His garage also includes Range Rover Autobiography and Velar models.

Scandals

In 2023, a video surfaced online where Dhawan talked about his personal life. The authenticity of the video is unclear. Also in 2023, Dhawan's ex-wife made some serious claims about him. She threatened to share these claims on social media, but a family court in New Delhi ordered her to stop posting anything that could hurt Dhawan’s reputation.

Fans

Dhawan has many fans who follow him closely on social media. When he announced his retirement on August 24, 2024, his fans praised him for his contributions to the team. In 2018, a fan named Shankar traveled from Bangalore to meet Dhawan in Hyderabad. Dhawan shared a photo of the meeting on Instagram and thanked Shankar for his support. Dhawan has 19 million followers on Instagram and regularly connects with his fans.