Following the departures of Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir in the early 2010s, Dhawan played a crucial role in anchoring the top order and ensuring stability in the Indian batting lineup.
Shikhar Dhawan, who officially announced his retirement on August 24th, was a key player for India as an opening batsman throughout the previous decade. He provided stability and consistency in the top order across all three formats of the game. Dhawan had a successful run in Test matches, scoring 2315 runs at an impressive average of 40.61, as well as in T20Is with 1759 runs at 27.92. However, it was in One Day Internationals (ODIs) where he truly excelled, amassing 6793 runs at an average of 44.11.
Following the departures of Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir in the early 2010s, Dhawan played a crucial role in anchoring the top order and ensuring stability in the Indian batting lineup.
In light of his retirement, let's take a closer look at some of Shikhar Dhawan's standout batting performances over his illustrious 12-year career.
1. 187 v Australia, Mohali 2013
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Dhawan had played in a few limited-over games since his debut in 2010, but he hadn't really made a name for himself as a batter.
Everything changed when he stepped in for the out-of-form Sehwag in the India XI for the third Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia to make his Test debut. With just two games left in the series, Dhawan had to bring his A-game to revive his international career.
After Australia put up a solid 408 in the first innings, Dhawan came back with a bang, scoring an impressive 187 in his Test debut. He hit 33 fours and two sixes, with his century coming off just 85 balls - the fastest ever by a debutant in the format. His score is the highest ever by an Indian Test debutant.
2. 114 v South Africa, Cardiff 2013
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After being selected for the ICC Champions Trophy 2013 squad, Dhawan was paired with Rohit Sharma to form a new opening combination for India. In their first game in Cardiff, the left-right hand duo performed brilliantly against South Africa's strong bowling attack, which included Morne Morkel, Lonwabo Tsotsobe, Rory Kleinveldt, and Ryan McLaren. They put on 127 runs for the first wicket. Although Rohit scored 65 runs before getting out, Dhawan went on to score his first ODI century, helping India reach a winning total of 331/7.
Dhawan's impressive 114 runs came off just 94 balls, including 12 fours and a six. He continued to shine in the rest of the tournament, forming a solid opening partnership with Rohit. Dhawan ended up being the top run-scorer in the tournament.
3. 115 v New Zealand, Auckland 2014
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New Zealand's impressive performance in the first innings, highlighted by a double century from Brendon McCullum and a century from Kane Williamson, set the stage for a commanding lead of 301 runs.
Despite the daunting target of 407, India's opening batsman Dhawan, who had previously fallen for a duck, displayed an aggressive and attacking approach. Teaming up with Virat Kohli to form a crucial partnership of 126 runs for the third wicket, Dhawan's innings of 115 showcased his adaptability in overseas conditions. However, India ultimately fell short by 40 runs, highlighting the fine margins of the game.
4. 137 v South Africa, Melbourne 2015
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India went up against South Africa in their second group match in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2015. The Men in Blue had started off strong with a win against Pakistan, but the South Africa game was a whole different story.
When India chose to bat first, Rohit Sharma was unfortunately run out without scoring any runs in the third over. But then Dhawan stepped up and formed great partnerships with Virat Kohli (46) and Ajinkya Rahane (79). Dhawan took on the South Africa bowlers, hitting 18 boundaries and two sixes during his century.
After Dhawan was finally out, India was on track for a score of over 300. Dhawan also made two crucial catches during South Africa's innings, helping to bowl them out for 177. India ended up winning by a whopping 130 runs.
5. 190 v Sri Lanka, Galle 2017
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After being out of action for almost nine months, Dhawan made a remarkable comeback by scoring a stunning 190 runs off just 168 balls in the Galle Test. His partnership with Cheteshwar Pujara, who scored 153 runs, helped India reach a huge total of 600 in the first innings. Dhawan's impressive performance was highlighted by his 31 fours, which played a key role in India's convincing 304-run victory.
6. 72 v South Africa, Johannesburg 2018
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The Test series in South Africa was a close one, with the hosts winning 2-1. But India came back strong in the ODIs, winning 5-1. The tour was supposed to end with a three-game T20I series, and Virat Kohli's team was eager to win another series.
In the first T20I, it was Dhawan who really set the pace for India. He was more aggressive than usual, scoring 72 off 39 balls with 10 fours and two sixes. India ended up with a total of 203/5. Bhuvneshwar Kumar then took 5/24 to help India secure a 28-run victory.
7. 117 v Australia, The Oval 2019
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Rohit and Dhawan got India off to a great start, with Dhawan leading the way with some aggressive strokeplay. Even after taking a hit from Pat Cummins, Dhawan kept going strong against Australia's tough bowling attack. He smashed 16 fours on his way to scoring a century off just 95 balls, marking his sixth and final hundred in ICC tournaments.
Hardik Pandya and MS Dhoni also played quickfire innings, scoring 48 off 27 balls and 27 off 14 balls respectively, helping India reach a total of 352/5 - their highest ever in a Cricket World Cup match against Australia.
India's bowlers then stepped up to the plate, securing a 36-run victory. Unfortunately, scans later revealed that Dhawan had fractured his thumb during his innings and had to be ruled out of the tournament.
