New Delhi: After Shikhar Dhawan recently announced his retirement from all formats of cricket, legendary India opener Sunil Gavaskar believes the left-handed opener’s retirement makes cricket ‘poorer’. He also said that injuries may have affected Dhawan’s decision to retire.
Dhawan’s career is a testament to his significant contributions to Indian cricket. He scored 6,793 runs in 167 ODIs at an average of 44.11 and a strike rate of 91.35, including 17 centuries. In 34 Tests, he amassed 2,315 runs at an average of 40.61 while hitting seven centuries, including 189 on debut against Australia at Mohali. In 68 T20Is, he scored 1,759 runs at a strike rate of 126.36.
“Shikhar Dhawan’s retirement from all forms of the game is going to leave the sport poorer than before. The ever-smiling, ever-positive Shikhar, also fondly called ‘Gabbar’, was a player of enormous talent. But as befalls opening batters, a lean series or tournament can mean the selectors wielding the axe.”
“In later years, injuries were part of Shikhar’s career, which seldom allowed him to fully display his skill and probably helped him make the decision to quit the game while he was still enjoying being part of the circuit,” wrote Gavaskar in his column for Sportstar.
Dhawan was the leading run-getter in India’s title-winning run at the 2013 Champions Trophy in England and went on to be the side’s leading run-getter in 2014 Asia Cup, 2015 ODI World Cup 2015, 2017 Champions Trophy and 2018 Asia Cup.
He also played a crucial leadership role in the Indian team whenever the seniors weren’t present. His influence was felt when he was named Player of the Tournament in the 2004 U19 World Cup. He represented Delhi Capitals, Mumbai Indians, Deccan Chargers, Sunrisers Hyderabad and Punjab Kings in the Indian Premier League (IPL), where he’s the second-highest run-getter after Virat Kohli.
Gavaskar also feels that with retired cricketers having greater avenues to give back to the game, Dhawan can dabble into anything that will bring joy to cricket fans. On Monday, it was announced that Dhawan, 38, joined the Legends Cricket League, with its next edition in September, signalling a promising future in his continued involvement in the sport.
Moreover, Dhawan has been actively involved in philanthropic ventures. He recently became the co-owner of the South Delhi Superstars team in the ongoing Delhi Premier League (DPL), showcasing his commitment to the development of cricket at the grassroots level. “Taking that call is the hardest thing to do. But when the body tells the mind, ‘Enough, enough’, then that’s the right time to go.”
“Retired cricketers today have many more avenues open to stay connected with the game, and Shikhar could well avail of them. There’s no doubt that whatever he chooses to do, he will do it with the same cheer that he brought to the game and was loved by teammates and fans for,” he concluded.
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–IANS
