Shikhar Dhawan made an official declaration of his retirement in droves from international and domestic cricket on August 24. This experienced Delhi-born cricketer has played 34 Test matches, 167 ODI games, and 68 T20Is amassing 10,867 runs during his long and successful career run.

Known for his fierce avatars, the opener has managed to contribute 24 tons, while he is rated among the best ODI batsmen for India. The only other notable role Dhawan played was as the Punjab Kings captain in the IPL 2024 season. In the tournament, which had to be cut short as far as he was concerned, he sustained a shoulder injury and bounced out, though he didn’t openly mention the details of his injury.

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Three months after the tournament started, in an emotional but not very difficult decision, Shikhar Dhawan put himself out to pasture. He looked back at his decision with a sense of fulfilment and gratitude to the way things shaped up in his cricketing journey.

Shikhar Dhawan has officially announced his retirement from all forms of international and domestic cricket on August 24, 2024. Dhawan, a key figure in India’s cricket history, made this announcement via a heartfelt video on social media, expressing gratitude to his fans,… pic.twitter.com/R7bTyGw6F0

— little things (@littlethings94k) August 24, 2024

“It’s not tough but emotional. I feel a sort of gratitude and love that is overwhelming. I have given dedications of half of my conscious life to cricket and now it is time to take a break, or better said, give it a rest. I am enjoying sitting back and spending time at home,” Shikhar Dhawan said in an exclusive chat with Hindustan Times.

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When he was not pummeling bowling attacks on the cricket field, Shikhar Dhawan emerged as a powerful entertainer on social media. His flashy videos and Instagram reels helped him garner a huge following that would keep him connected to his fans long after he retired from the cricket field.

“Why would I lose fame by stepping away from cricket? If anything, my fame might even increase. I am so much deeper in people’s hearts, not necessarily from playing cricket but from social media. I know the love and support of my fans will continue to keep increasing,” he said.