Shikhar Dhawan Announces Retirement, Posts Emotional Message For Fans

Shikhar Dhawan, one of India's finest white-ball openers, has announced his retirement from international cricket. Dhawan, 38, clarified that although he's walking away from India colours, he hinted at continuing in league cricket – most prominently the IPL. Dhawan, who last played for India in December of 2022 in an ODI against Bangladesh, goes out having scored 10,867 runs from 269 appearances, including 24 centuries, 44 fifties and as one of the lynchpins of Indian batting over the last decade.

Happy retirement, Shikhar Dhawan. It was a privilege to watch you bat.(Getty)

"It's not like it is a tough decision for me. I am not even emotional. I don't want to cry or something. But mostly it's gratitude and love. I have spent most of my life playing cricket and I feel I've reached a stage where I want to rest now – from international and domestic," Dhawan told Hindustan Times in an exclusive chat.

Dhawan, a late bloomer, made his India debut in 2010 during an ODI against Australia where he fell for a two-ball duck. A year later he represented India in four more ODIs against the West Indies, scoring a highest of 51. However, it wasn't until the 2013 Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia that Dhawan arrived, scoring the fastest century on debut – off 85 balls.