Team India captain Rohit Sharma wrote a brilliant message for Shikhar Dhawan, who announced his retirement from international and domestic cricket on Saturday. Dhawan was Rohit's first opening partner when former India skipper MS Dhoni promoted him to the top of the batting order in 2013. The pair clicked almost instantly at the Champions Trophy and eventually formed a formidable duo which dominated white-ball cricket for a large part of the decade.
Both players also developed a strong bond with time, and Rohit's message for Dhawan portrays the memories they shared together in a heartfelt manner. Taking to his official X account, Rohit wrote, “From sharing rooms to sharing lifetime memories on the field. You always made my job easier from the other end. THE ULTIMATE JATT.”
The opening duo of Rohit and Dhawan stands as the fourth most successful in ODI history, amassing 5,148 runs in 115 innings from 2013 to 2022. Among Indians, this record places them second only to the iconic pairing of Sourav Ganguly and Sachin Tendulkar.
A golden era
{{/usCountry}}The opening duo of Rohit and Dhawan stands as the fourth most successful in ODI history, amassing 5,148 runs in 115 innings from 2013 to 2022. Among Indians, this record places them second only to the iconic pairing of Sourav Ganguly and Sachin Tendulkar.
A golden era
{{/usCountry}}The formidable partnership of Rohit and Dhawan, complemented by Virat Kohli’s consistent performances at number three, epitomised a golden era for Indian white-ball cricket. Between June 2014 and June 2019, this trio collectively accumulated over 100 centuries (103) across all formats.
Their synergy was instrumental in India’s victorious campaign in the 2013 Champions Trophy under the captaincy of Dhoni. Additionally, their performances were crucial in India’s journey to the semi-finals of the 2016 T20 World Cup and the 2017 Champions Trophy final.
Dhawan was touted to play a key role in the 2019 World Cup, but his campaign was short-lived due to an injury. Battling through significant pain following a finger fracture, Dhawan smashed 117 against Australia, helping India achieve a memorable win. of Indian cricket.
Dhawan eventually lost his place from the side due to a combination of inconsistency and the emergence of younger talents like Shubman Gill and Yashasvi Jaiswal.