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)
T20I debut (cap 36)	4 June 2011 v West Indies
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 an Indian former cricket player. He was a left-handed opening batter. Many people thought he was one of the best One Day International (ODI) batsmen for the Indian cricket team for ten years. He also played for Delhi in local cricket.

Dhawan's batting average in big tournaments like the ICC World Cups and Champions Trophies is 65.15. This is the highest among players who scored at least 1000 runs in those events. He was named 'Player of the Tournament' in the 2013 ICC Champions Trophy. He was also the top run scorer for India at the 2015 Cricket World Cup.

Dhawan played his first One Day International (ODI) match against Australia in October 2010. His first Test match was also against Australia in March 2013. In that match, he scored the fastest century (100 runs) by any player on their Test debut, reaching it in just 85 balls. He finished that innings with 187 runs. This is also the highest score by an Indian player in their first Test match.

In August 2013, Dhawan made a huge score of 248 runs in a List A match for India A. This was against South Africa A. On 14 June 2018, against Afghanistan, Dhawan became the first Indian player to score a century before lunch on the first day of a Test match. He announced his retirement from all forms of cricket on 24 August 2024.

Early Life and Cricket Start

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

When he was 12, he started training at the Sonnet Club. His coach was Tarak Sinha, who has trained many international cricketers. When Dhawan first joined the club, he played as a wicket-keeper.

Youth Cricket Journey

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, with an average of 83.88. He made two centuries and his highest score was 199.

Because he played so well, Dhawan was chosen for the India Under-17 team in 2000/01. He played three games and averaged 85 runs. In October 2001, at age 15, he joined the Delhi Under-19 team. He continued to score many runs in youth games.

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

Starting Domestic Career

Dhawan played his first major match for Delhi in November 2004. He scored 49 runs in his first innings. He was Delhi's top run-scorer that season, with 461 runs.

In January 2005, he played his first List A match. He then scored two centuries in a row. He was chosen for the India Seniors team. In one match, he scored 126 runs and had a huge partnership with MS Dhoni.

Dhawan continued to play well for different teams like India A and North Zone. In 2006, he was the top run-scorer in a tournament in Abu Dhabi. He made 288 runs in 5 matches, averaging 72.

In 2007, he was made captain of the Delhi team for a one-day tournament. Delhi won the Ranji Trophy in 2007–08, and Dhawan scored 570 runs. He was also the second-highest run-scorer in another tournament in 2008.

In 2009, Dhawan scored 224 runs in the first match of the Ranji Trophy season. He then scored 100 in the next game. He got injured but came back to finish the season with 451 runs. In 2010, he scored 327 runs in five matches for Delhi. This helped him get a spot in the North Zone team, which won the trophy.

Ups and Downs in Form

In 2010, Dhawan was called up to the Rest of India squad. He scored 83 runs in one match, helping his team win. This led to his first chance to play for the senior Indian team.

He played his first international match against Australia in October 2010. He was bowled out on his second ball without scoring any runs. In June 2011, he made his T20 International (T20I) debut against West Indies. He scored 5 runs. In his second ODI match, he scored 51 runs.

After some struggles, Dhawan played very well in October 2011. He scored 177 runs and 155 runs in a match for the Rest of India. He was named man of the match. However, he had a tough time in the 2011–12 Ranji Trophy.

In 2012, Dhawan struggled during a tour of the West Indies with India A. He didn't score any half-centuries.

Strong Comeback in 2012–13

Dhawan started the 2012–13 season in great form. He played for India A and scored 99 not out in one match. He then scored 152 runs in another game. He was named captain of the North Zone team. He won man of the match in a quarterfinal game, scoring 101 and 50 runs.

He continued his good form in the 2012–13 Ranji Trophy, scoring 461 runs with two centuries. He was chosen to captain Delhi against the England team in January 2013. He scored 110 runs, helping Delhi win. These strong performances led to his call-up to the Indian Test squad.

International Cricket Journey

Test Debut and Champions Trophy Success

In February 2013, Dhawan was chosen for the Indian Test team to play against Australia. He made his Test debut on 14 March. He received his cap from the legendary Sachin Tendulkar.

The match was delayed by rain. When India batted, Dhawan opened the innings. He scored the fastest century ever on Test debut, reaching 100 runs in just 85 balls. He ended up scoring 187 runs from 174 balls. He won the man of the match award. This innings was later called the Best Test Batting Performance of 2013.

Dhawan missed the next Test due to a hand injury. He returned to play in the 2013 Indian Premier League (IPL). His good form in the IPL helped him get selected for the 2013 ICC Champions Trophy in England.

In the Champions Trophy, Dhawan opened the batting with Rohit Sharma. They played very well together. In the first match against South Africa, Dhawan scored his first ODI century, making 114 runs. India won, and he was man of the match.

In India's next match against West Indies, he scored another century, 102 not out. India won easily. India won all their group matches. In the semifinal against Sri Lanka, he scored 68 runs, helping India reach the final.

The final against England was shortened due to rain. India batted first and Dhawan scored 31 runs. India won the match by 5 runs. Dhawan scored 363 runs in 5 matches, averaging 90.75. He won the Golden Bat award for scoring the most runs. He was also named player of the tournament.

A Big Match Player

After the Champions Trophy, the Indian team went to the West Indies. Dhawan scored 135 runs in five games. India won the series. In July–August 2013, India toured Zimbabwe. Dhawan scored 209 runs in four matches, being the top run-scorer. He scored his third ODI century in the second match, making 116 runs.

In August 2013, he played for India A in South Africa. He scored an amazing 248 runs off 150 balls against South Africa A. This was one of the highest scores ever in a List A match. His innings included 30 fours and seven sixes. India A won that match and the series. Dhawan was the highest run-scorer in the series.

Australia toured India in October and November 2013. Dhawan scored 284 runs in 6 ODI games. He had three century partnerships with Rohit Sharma. In one match, he scored 95 runs, helping India chase a huge target of 360 runs. In another game, he scored 100 runs, helping India chase 350 runs.

In November 2013, Dhawan scored a match-winning 119 runs in a game against West Indies. He was named player of the match. Because of his great performances in 2013, he was named in the ICC World ODI XI.

Challenges and Comebacks

In December 2013, India toured South Africa. Dhawan struggled with his batting, scoring low runs in the ODIs and Tests. India lost the ODI series.

In January 2014, India went to New Zealand. Dhawan scored his second Test century in the second innings of the first Test. He scored 98 runs in the first innings of the second Test.

Dhawan played in the 2014 Asia Cup. He scored 94 runs against Sri Lanka and 60 runs against Afghanistan. India did not reach the final. He also played in the 2014 World T20 but was later dropped from the team.

Dhawan during a practice session in January 2015

In July 2014, Dhawan played Test matches against England. He struggled and was dropped from the team. He later returned to form in the ODI series against England, scoring 97 not out.

In October 2014, West Indies toured India. Dhawan scored 68 runs in one match. The tour was then cancelled. Sri Lanka then toured India in November 2014. Dhawan scored 113 runs, 79 runs, and 91 runs in the first three matches. India won the series 5-0.

Dhawan played in the 2014 Border-Gavaskar Test series in Australia but struggled again and was dropped. His poor form continued in the 2015 ODI Tri Series.

2015 World Cup and Beyond

Dhawan had a great start to the 2015 World Cup. He scored 73 runs against Pakistan. In the next match against South Africa, he scored his second-highest ODI score of 137 runs. He scored another century against Ireland, making 100 runs off 85 balls. India won all their group matches. In the quarterfinal, Dhawan scored 30 runs. In the semifinal, he made 45 runs, but India lost. Dhawan finished the tournament as the fifth-highest run-scorer with 412 runs.

Dhawan made a comeback to the Test team in June 2015. He scored 173 runs in the only Test match against Bangladesh. He was also the top-scorer in the ODI series that followed.

Dhawan in January 2016

In August 2015, during India's tour of Sri Lanka, Dhawan scored 134 runs in the first Test. He became only the third Indian opener to score back-to-back Test centuries away from home. However, he fractured his hand and was ruled out of the tour.

In 2017, Dhawan was named in the 'Team of the Tournament' at the Champions Trophy. On 10 February 2018, against South Africa, Dhawan played his 100th ODI. He scored his 13th ODI century and became the first Indian batsman to score a century in his 100th ODI game.

Return to the Indian Team

After playing well in domestic cricket, Dhawan was called back to the India ODI squad for the 2017 ICC Champions Trophy. In the first game against Pakistan, he scored 68 runs. Three days later, he scored 125 runs against Sri Lanka. He became the fastest player to reach 500 runs in the tournament's history. He won the Golden Bat award 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.

He continued his good form in the tour of West Indies, scoring two half-centuries. In the 2017 India tour of Sri Lanka, Dhawan helped India win the Test series 3–0. He scored two centuries and 358 runs, earning him the player of the series award. He also scored a century in the ODI series.

In November 2017, Dhawan scored his highest T20I score of 80 runs against New Zealand. In December, he scored his 12th ODI century against Sri Lanka. He became the fifth fastest batsman to reach 4000 runs in ODIs. He was named player of the series.

On 10 February 2018, in his 100th ODI, Dhawan scored 109 runs against South Africa. He scored 323 runs in six ODIs in that series. In the T20I series, he scored the most runs with 143 runs. On 14 June 2018, Dhawan became the first Indian and sixth overall player to score a century before lunch on the first day of a Test match, against Afghanistan.

In 2018, he scored the most runs in T20Is by any cricketer, with 689 runs. In April 2019, he was chosen for India's squad for the 2019 Cricket World Cup. On 9 June, he scored his 17th century against Australia, despite a thumb injury. He was ruled out of the rest of the tournament due to a fractured thumb.

In June 2021, Dhawan was named India's captain for their ODI and T20I matches against Sri Lanka. In the first match, he scored 86 runs and completed 6,000 runs in ODI cricket. In July 2022, he was named India's captain for the ODI series against the West Indies. Later that month, he played his 150th ODI match against England.

Indian Premier League (IPL)

Dhawan was made captain of the Sunrisers Hyderabad team in 2013. He was later replaced as captain in 2014.

He stayed with Sunrisers Hyderabad for the 2017 Indian Premier League. He scored 479 runs in 14 matches. His team was knocked out in the playoffs.

In the 2018 IPL Auction, Sunrisers Hyderabad bought Dhawan back. He scored 497 runs, and his team finished second. He was then traded to Delhi Capitals for the 2019 season.

On 20 October 2020, Dhawan made history in the Indian Premier League (IPL). He became the first batsman to score two centuries in a row. On the same day, he became the fifth batsman to cross 5000 runs in the IPL. He finished IPL 2020 with 600 runs.

He scored 587 runs in IPL 2021. In the 2022 IPL Auction, the Punjab Kings bought Dhawan. On 25 April 2022, he played his 200th IPL match. He also reached 6000 runs in the IPL, becoming 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

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). As of 2020, he is fifty-sixth on the list of cricketers with the most international centuries.

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

Dhawan's first ODI century was 114 runs against South Africa in June 2013. His highest ODI score is 143, made against Australia in March 2019.

He has not yet scored a century in Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is). His highest T20I score is 92, against the West Indies in November 2018.

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 the 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 in IPL history to score two centuries in a row.
• 2021: Received the Arjuna Award from the Government of India for his great achievements in sports.

Personal Life

In 2008, Dhawan got engaged to Aesha Mukerji, a kickboxer from Melbourne. They got married in 2012. Aesha was introduced to Dhawan by cricketer Harbhajan Singh. She was 12 years older than Dhawan and had two daughters from a previous marriage.

In December 2014, Aesha gave birth to their son, Zoravar. Dhawan also adopted Aesha's daughters, Aliyah and Rhea. Dhawan and Mukerji ended their marriage in September 2021. On 5 October 2023, Shikhar Dhawan was granted a divorce. He was also given rights to visit and video call his son.

Images for kids

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  Dhawan in 2014

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  Dhawan during a practice session in January 2015

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  Dhawan in January 2016

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  Shri Ram Nath Kovind presenting the Arjuna Award to Shikhar Dhawan