Former India opener Shikhar Dhawan on Wednesday shared insights into the early struggles of his career during a heartwarming event as part of his interaction with budding cricketers from various NGOs for the Shikhar Dhawan Foundation. In a conversation with underprivileged children, he disclosed the challenges he faced when starting out in cricket.
He recalled as quoted by a press release, “I started playing at a young age for a club, practiced for a year, and got to play a tournament after a year.” Dhawan revealed that during his early days, he would not only practice but also perform various chores, like rolling the pitch, bringing tea for the coaches, and enduring long hours under the sun, all in the hopes of getting just 10 minutes to bat at the end of the day. These early sacrifices and hard work eventually paid off, propelling him to where he is today as an internationally renowned cricketer. This inspiring story was shared during a special event in December last year, where
Dhawan interacted with underprivileged kids, gifted them presents, and engaged in a Q&A session. Through his foundation, Dhawan aims to make a positive impact on the lives of these children, offering them both material and moral support. His journey from humble beginnings to cricket stardom serves as a powerful reminder of perseverance and dedication. The 38-year-old brought the curtains down on his illustrious career by taking to Instagram and sharing an emotional message to announce his decision. In his illustrious career, runs came effortlessly off Dhawan’s bat. He represented India across all formats, but ODI was his forte.
In 167 appearances, the southpaw produced swashbuckling performances and racked up 6,793 runs at an average of 44.1, including 17 centuries and 39 fifties. In the longest format of cricket, where he stitched up memorable partnerships with Murali Vijay, Dhawan garnered 2,315 runs in 34 matches at an average of 40.6. His Test career was laced with seven tons and five half-centuries.
In the T20I format, Dhawan made 68 appearances and scored 1,759 runs at an average of 27.9, including 11 fifties. In the domestic circuit, Dhawan played 122 First-Class cricket matches and handsomely scored 8,499 runs at an average of 44.26, including 25 centuries and 29 fifties.