Veteran cricketer Shikhar Dhawan officially announced his retirement from international and domestic cricket on Saturday, August 24. His final appearance in competitive cricket came during the 2024 Indian Premier League (IPL), where he captained Punjab Kings in their match against SunRisers Hyderabad.

Dhawan’s cricketing journey saw him don the Indian jersey in 34 Tests, 167 ODIs, and 68 T20Is over a 13-year career. Known for his explosive left-handed batting, he racked up seven centuries in Test matches and 17 hundreds in ODIs, accumulating over 10,000 international runs.

A defining moment in his career came during the 2013 Champions Trophy, where Dhawan was instrumental in India’s triumph, scoring 363 runs in five innings, including two centuries. That year, he amassed 1,162 runs in ODIs at an impressive average of 50.52, with a strike rate of 97.89.

In the IPL, Dhawan cemented his status as a legend, playing for franchises like Deccan Chargers, Delhi Capitals, SunRisers Hyderabad, Mumbai Indians, and Punjab Kings. With 6,769 runs in 222 IPL matches, including two centuries and 51 half-centuries, he is the tournament’s second-highest run-scorer, trailing only Virat Kohli.

The announcement of his retirement prompted an outpouring of emotion from fans, who expressed their sadness across social media platforms, paying tribute to the prolific batter and his memorable career.

The fans expressed their emotions and have taken the social media by a storm. The trio of Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan will not been seen in action anymore

Shikhar Dhawan posted about his retirement on social media

“It’s important to turn the page to move forward in life and that’s why I am announcing my retirement from international and domestic cricket,” he said in a video posted on his social media accounts. “I am leaving with peace in my heart that I played so long for India. I’ve told myself don’t feel sad that you won’t play for India anymore, but feel happy that you played for the country.”