- Cricket connoisseurs, die-hard fans, experts, and even those quaintly acquainted with the sport may be aware of how the Indian opener Shikhar Dhawan contributed to furthering the cause of the game here. The southpaw made an immediate impact when he first burst onto the international stage with some scintillating performances first-up. Cricket aficionados would assert with great conviction how the left-handers are naturally graceful while batting and as bowlers add a different dimension to the entire proceedings with their angles. Some of the most graceful left-handed batters like Sir Garfield Sobers, David Gover, Mathew Hayden, Adam Gilchrist, and our very own Sourav Ganguly provided a much-needed spark to the proceedings.
PC: OneCricket
- Albeit Shikhar Dhawan was not a classy southpaw along the lines of those mentioned above. But he was equally effective at the top of the order when on song and could score freely whenever the opportunity arose. Who would forget the debut Test innings played by Dhawan against the visiting Australians scoring a big hundred at a very fast clip? That innings firmly established what a cricketer Dhawan would eventually turn out to be serving the cause of the country with great aplomb. This inning established the batter’s credentials at the highest level of the game and there has been no looking back since then. His style of batting was always cut out for shorter, and the shortest version of the game and he never looked back at all.
- In the 50-over one-day internationals, Shikhar formed a formidable partnership with the Hitman Rohit Sharma churning out some of the most memorable performances. The left-right combination of two of the most prolific batters for India has been defining insofar as furthering the cause of the team. Indian cricket fans are aware of how explosive Rohit Sharma is at the top of the order, and joining hands with Dhawan meant the opposition bowlers were always made to feel the pressure to stop the pair from going hammer and tongs. Even though the southpaw was not elegant or pleasing to the eyes, the effectiveness of Dhawan in piercing the set field with precision to score freely made a world of difference to the team’s cause.
PC: Hindustan Times
- Most importantly, whenever Team India participated in the International Cricket Council (ICC) events, the unquestionable class of Dhawan came to the fore through some of the most impactful performances against competitive opponents. His statistics in ICC events, especially the white ball cricket, are outstanding. Of course, he was one of the most consistent performers in the cash-rich and hugely popular Indian Premier League (IPL) tournament for a very long period. By announcing retirement from every form of the game, Shikhar Dhawan will leave behind a definite legacy worthy of emulation. Yes, one might feel he could have achieved more as compared to some of his contemporaries, but Dhawan will be content with what he has against his name.
