Shikhar Dhawan facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Shikhar Dhawan

Dhawan in 2014
Personal information
Born	(1985-12-05) 5 December 1985 (age 39) New Delhi, India
Nickname	Gabbar, Mr. ICC
Batting	Left-handed
Bowling	Right-arm off break
Role	Opening batter
International information
National side	India (2010–2022)
Test debut (cap 277)	14 March 2013 v Australia
Last Test	7 September 2018 v England
ODI debut (cap 188)	20 October 2010 v Australia
Last ODI	10 December 2022 v Bangladesh
ODI shirt no.	42 (previously 25)
Last T20I	29 July 2021 v Sri Lanka
T20I shirt no.	42 (previously 25)
Domestic team information
Years	Team
2004–2024	Delhi
2008	Delhi Daredevils (squad no. 16)
2009–2010	Mumbai Indians (squad no. 16)
2011–2012	Deccan Chargers (squad no. 25)
2013–2018	Sunrisers Hyderabad (squad no. 25)
2019–2021	Delhi Capitals (squad no. 42)
2022–2024	Punjab Kings (squad no. 42)
2024-Present	Karnali Yaks (squad no. 42)
Career statistics
Competition Test ODI T20I FC Matches 34 167 68 122 Runs scored 2,315 6,793 1,759 8,499 Batting average 40.61 44.11 27.92 44.26 100s/50s 7/5 17/39 0/11 25/29 Top score 190 143 92 224 Balls bowled 54 – – 298 Wickets 0 – – 3 Bowling average – – – 47.33 5 wickets in innings – – – 0 10 wickets in match – – – 0 Best bowling – – – 2/30 Catches/stumpings 28/– 83/– 19/0 120/–
Medal record Men's Cricket Representing  India ICC Champions Trophy Winner 2013 England and Wales Runner-up 2017 England and Wales ICC T20 World Cup Runner-up 2014 Bangladesh ACC Asia Cup Winner 2016 Bangladesh Winner 2018 United Arab Emirates
Source: ESPNcricinfo, 15 December 2022

Shikhar Dhawan (born 5 December 1985) is a former Indian cricket player. He was an opening batter. He played for the Indian team in shorter cricket games for over ten years. He also played for the Delhi team in India.

Shikhar was named the best player in the 2013 ICC Champions Trophy. He was also the top scorer at the 2015 World Cup. In big ICC tournaments like World Cups and Champions Trophies, he scored a lot of runs. He averaged 65.15 runs, which is the highest for players with over 1000 runs.

He played his first One Day International (ODI) game against Australia in October 2010. His first Test match was also against Australia in March 2013. In that game, he scored the fastest century (100 runs) by any player on their Test debut. He scored 187 runs from 174 balls. This is also the highest score by an Indian player in their first Test match.

In August 2013, Dhawan scored 248 runs in a List A match for India A. This was one of the highest scores ever in that type of game. He also became the first Indian player to score a century in his 100th ODI match. This happened against South Africa in Johannesburg. Shikhar Dhawan announced his retirement from all forms of cricket on August 24, 2024.

In July 2025, Shikhar Dhawan decided not to play in a match against Pakistan. This was for the World Championship of Legends. He said it was because of a terrorist attack in Pahalgam that killed Indian tourists. The match was cancelled after he and other Indian players refused to play. Dhawan shared a letter saying he would not play against Pakistan. This showed that Indian players did not want to play sports with Pakistan after the attack.

Early Life and Training

Shikhar Dhawan was born on December 5, 1985, in Delhi, India. His parents are Sunaina and Mahendra Pal Dhawan. He went to school at St. Mark's Senior Secondary Public School in Delhi.

When he was 12, he started training at the Sonnet Club. His coach was Tarak Sinha, who has trained many international cricketers. When he first joined, Dhawan was a wicket-keeper. Even though he writes with his right hand, he learned to bat with his left hand.

Starting His Cricket Journey

Youth Cricket Success

Dhawan first played for Delhi Under-16s in 1999. He was the top run-scorer in the 2000/01 Vijay Merchant Trophy. Delhi finished second in that tournament. He scored 755 runs in 9 games, averaging 83.88. He made two centuries.

His great playing for Delhi Under-16s led him to be picked for the India Under-17 team. This was for the 2000/01 ACC Under-17 Asia Cup. He played three games and averaged 85 runs. In October 2001, at just 15, he joined the Delhi Under-19 team. He continued to score many runs in youth tournaments.

In 2004, Dhawan played for India in the Under-19 World Cup in Bangladesh. He was the top run-scorer in the whole tournament. He scored 505 runs, averaging 84.16. He made three centuries and one fifty. He was named the Player of the Tournament.

First Steps in Senior Cricket

Dhawan played his first major senior game for Delhi in November 2004. This was in the Ranji Trophy. He scored 49 runs in his first game. He ended that season as Delhi's top run-scorer with 461 runs. He even scored more runs than experienced players like Ajay Jadeja.

In January 2005, he played his first List A game. He then scored two centuries in a row. He was chosen for the India Seniors team in February. In one match, he scored 126 runs and shared a huge 246-run partnership with MS Dhoni. This helped India Seniors win the game.

Dhawan continued to play well in different tournaments. In 2006, he was the top run-scorer in a tournament in Abu Dhabi. He scored 288 runs in 5 matches. He also captained the Delhi team in the Ranji One-day Trophy in 2007. Delhi won the Ranji Trophy in 2007–08, with Dhawan scoring 570 runs.

In 2009–10, he scored 224 runs in the first Ranji Trophy match. He then scored 100 in the next game. He finished that Ranji season with 451 runs. In February 2010, he was Delhi's top scorer in the Vijay Hazare Trophy. He scored 327 runs, including a century. These strong performances helped him get his first call-up to the Indian national team.

Playing for India

International Debut and Big Moments

In October 2010, Shikhar Dhawan was chosen for the Indian team. This was for a series against Australia. He made his international debut in an ODI match on October 20. He opened the batting but was out on his second ball.

In June 2011, he made his T20 International (T20I) debut against the West Indies. He scored 5 runs. In his second ODI match, he scored 51 runs.

After playing well in domestic cricket, Dhawan was called up to the Indian Test team in February 2013. He made his Test debut against Australia on March 14. He received his cap from Sachin Tendulkar. Dhawan scored the fastest century ever on Test debut, reaching 100 runs in just 85 balls. He ended up scoring 187 runs. India won the match, and Dhawan was named the best player.

He got injured and missed the next Test match. But he came back strong in the 2013 Indian Premier League. He then joined the Indian ODI team for the 2013 ICC Champions Trophy in England. He opened the batting with Rohit Sharma, and they did very well together.

In the first match against South Africa, Dhawan scored his first ODI century, 114 runs. India won, and he was the man of the match. In the next game against West Indies, he scored another century, 102 not out. India won all their group matches. In the semifinal against Sri Lanka, he scored 68 runs. India reached the final against England and won the trophy. Dhawan scored 363 runs in 5 matches. He won the Golden Bat award for scoring the most runs and was named player of the tournament.

A Big Match Player

After the Champions Trophy, Dhawan continued his great form. In August 2013, he played for India A in South Africa. He scored an amazing 248 runs from 150 balls against South Africa A. This was one of the highest scores ever in List A cricket. His innings included 30 fours and 7 sixes. India A won that match and later won the series.

When Australia toured India in October 2013, Dhawan scored 284 runs in 6 ODI games. He had three century partnerships with Rohit Sharma. In one game, he scored 95 runs to help India chase down a huge target of 360 runs. He also scored a century (100 runs) in another game where India chased 350 runs.

For his excellent performances in 2013, he was chosen for the ICC World ODI XI team.

Challenges and Comebacks

In late 2013 and early 2014, Dhawan faced some tough times with his batting. He struggled in series against South Africa and New Zealand. In the first Test in New Zealand, he was out for a duck in the first innings. But he bounced back with his second Test century in the second innings.

He played in the 2014 Asia Cup and scored 192 runs. He also played in the 2014 World T20 but didn't score many runs. In a Test series against England in 2014, he was dropped from the team due to his form.

However, he showed his strength by returning to form in the ODI series against England. He scored 97 not out in one match. He also played well against Sri Lanka in November 2014, scoring a century and two fifties.

Dhawan during a practice session in January 2015

Dhawan had a fantastic 2015 World Cup. He started with 73 runs against Pakistan. In the next match against South Africa, he scored 137 runs, his second-highest ODI score. He scored another century against Ireland. India won all their group matches. Dhawan finished the tournament as the fifth-highest run-scorer with 412 runs. He was named in the 'Team of the tournament'.

In June 2015, he scored 173 runs in a Test match against Bangladesh. He then scored 134 runs in a Test against Sri Lanka in August 2015. This made him only the third Indian opener to score back-to-back Test centuries away from home. However, he fractured his hand and missed the rest of that tour.

Dhawan in January 2016

In 2017, Dhawan was recalled to the Indian team for the 2017 ICC Champions Trophy. He scored 68 runs against Pakistan and a record-equalling 125 runs against Sri Lanka. He became the fastest player to reach 500 runs in Champions Trophy history. He won the Golden Bat award again for scoring the most runs (338) in the tournament. He is the only player to win two Golden Bats in the ICC Champions Trophy, and two in a row!

On February 10, 2018, in his 100th ODI match against South Africa, Dhawan scored his 13th ODI century. He became the first Indian batsman to score a century in his 100th ODI. He scored the most runs in T20Is in 2018, with 689 runs.

In April 2019, he was chosen for India's team for the 2019 Cricket World Cup. On June 9, he scored his 17th century against Australia, even with a thumb injury. He was named player of the match. Sadly, he fractured his thumb and had to miss the rest of the tournament.

In July 2022, he was named India's captain for the ODI series against the West Indies. In the first game against England, Dhawan played his 150th ODI match.

Indian Premier League (IPL)

Shikhar Dhawan has played for several teams in the Indian Premier League. He was captain of the Sunrisers Hyderabad team in 2013. He was later replaced as captain in 2014.

In the 2018 Indian Premier League, Sunrisers Hyderabad bought him back. He scored 497 runs that season. His team finished second after losing in the final. He then moved to Delhi Capitals for the 2019 season.

On October 20, 2020, Dhawan made history in the IPL. He became the first batsman to score two centuries in a row. On the same day, he also became the fifth batsman to score over 5000 runs in the IPL. He scored 618 runs in IPL 2020.

He scored 587 runs in IPL 2021. In the 2022 IPL Auction, the Punjab Kings bought him. On April 25, 2022, he played his 200th IPL match. He also reached 6000 runs in the IPL, becoming only the second player to do so after Virat Kohli.

Dhawan was announced as the new captain of Punjab Kings for the 2023 season.

Nepal Premier League

Shikhar Dhawan played for Karnali Yaks in the 2024 Nepal Premier League. In December 2024, Dhawan scored his first fifty in the Nepal Premier League.

International Centuries

Shikhar Dhawan, a left-handed opening batsman, has scored 24 centuries in international cricket. He has 7 centuries in Test cricket and 17 in One Day Internationals (ODIs).

He scored his first Test century (187 runs) against Australia in March 2013. His highest Test score is 190, made against Sri Lanka in July 2017.

Dhawan scored his first ODI century (114 runs) against South Africa in June 2013. His highest ODI score is 143, which he made against Australia in March 2019.

He has not yet scored a century in Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is). His highest T20I score is 92.

Test centuries

No.	Score	Opponents	Venue	Date	Result	Ref
1	&10000000000001870000000 187	Australia	Punjab Cricket Association IS Bindra Stadium, Chandigarh	14 March 2013	India won
2	&10000000000001150000000 115	New Zealand	Eden Park, Auckland	6 February 2014	New Zealand won
3	&10000000000001730000000 173	Bangladesh	Fatullah Osmani Stadium, Fatullah	10 June 2015	Drawn
4	&10000000000001340000000 134	Sri Lanka	Galle International Stadium, Galle	12 August 2015	Sri Lanka won
5	&10000000000001900000000 190	Sri Lanka	Galle International Stadium, Galle	26 July 2017	India won
6	&10000000000001190000000 119	Sri Lanka	Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, Kandy	12 August 2017	India won
7	&10000000000001070000000 107	Afghanistan	M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru	14 June 2018	India won

ODI centuries

No.	Score	Opponents	Venue	Date	Result	Ref
1	&10000000000001140000000 114	South Africa	Sophia Gardens, Cardiff	6 June 2013	India won
2	&10000000000001025000000 102 *	West Indies	The Oval, London	11 June 2013	India won
3	&10000000000001160000000 116	Zimbabwe	Harare Sports Club, Harare	26 July 2013	India won
4	&10000000000001000000000 100	Australia	Vidarbha Cricket Association Ground, Nagpur	30 October 2013	India won
5	&10000000000001190000000 119	West Indies	Green Park, Kanpur	27 November 2013	India won
6	&10000000000001130000000 113	Sri Lanka	Barabati Stadium, Cuttack	2 November 2014	India won
7	&10000000000001370000000 137	South Africa	Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne	22 February 2015	India won
8	&10000000000001000000000 100	Ireland	Seddon Park, Hamilton	10 March 2015	India won
9	&10000000000001260000000 126	Australia	Manuka Oval, Canberra	20 January 2016	Australia won
10	&10000000000001250000000 125	Sri Lanka	The Oval, London	8 June 2017	Sri Lanka won
11	&10000000000001325000000 132 *	Sri Lanka	Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium, Dambulla	20 August 2017	India won
12	&10000000000001005000000 100 *	Sri Lanka	ACA–VDCA Cricket Stadium, Visakhapatnam	17 December 2017	India won
13	&10000000000001090000000 109	South Africa	Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg	10 February 2018	South Africa won
14	&10000000000001270000000 127	Hong Kong	Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai	18 September 2018	India won
15	&10000000000001140000000 114	Pakistan	Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai	23 September 2018	India won
16	&10000000000001430000000 143	Australia	Punjab Cricket Association IS Bindra Stadium, Chandigarh	10 March 2019	Australia won
17	&10000000000001170000000 117	Australia	The Oval, London	9 June 2019	India won

Awards and Achievements

Shri Ram Nath Kovind presenting the Arjuna Award to Shikhar Dhawan

• ICC World ODI XI: 2013
• Fastest Test Century by a Debutant (187 runs off 174 balls)
• Top run scorer for India in ICC World Cup 2015
• Man of the tournament at the 2013 ICC Champions Trophy
• Golden Bat at the 2013 ICC Champions Trophy (most runs scored)
• Golden Bat at the 2017 ICC Champions Trophy (most runs scored)
• Only player to win 2 Golden Bats at the ICC Champions Trophy
• Only player to win 2 Golden Bats in a row at ICC Champions Trophy
• Most ODI centuries in 2013
• Wisden Cricketer of the year 2014
• First Indian batsman to score a century before lunch on the first day of a Test match
• Fastest Indian batsman to reach 1000 (joint-fastest), 2000, and 3000 ODI runs
• Fastest batsman to reach 1000 runs in ICC tournaments
• Highest run scorer of Asia Cup 2018
• During IPL 2020, Dhawan became the first player to score two centuries in a row.
• 2021: Received the Arjuna Award from the Government of India for his great achievements in sports.
• Player with joint-most centuries in ICC Champions Trophy.

Personal Life

In 2008, Dhawan got engaged to Aesha Mukerji, a kickboxer from Melbourne. They married in 2012. Aesha was introduced to Dhawan by cricketer Harbhajan Singh. She had two daughters from a previous marriage, Aliyah and Rhea, whom Dhawan adopted. In December 2014, they had a son named Zoravar.

Dhawan and Mukerji ended their marriage in September 2021. On October 5, 2023, Dhawan was granted divorce due to "mental cruelty" by his former wife. He was also given rights to visit and video call his son.