Shikhar Dhawan Birthday: Fondly known as “Gabbar”, Shikhar Dhawan made a thunderous beginning with his career when he won the title of Player of the Tournament at the 2004 Under-19 World Cup. However, nine years would pass before he was summoned to play for the Test side, where the Indian side had its established openers in Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir.
2️⃣6️⃣9️⃣ international matches 👌
— BCCI (@BCCI) December 5, 2024
1️⃣0️⃣8️⃣6️⃣7️⃣ International runs 👍
2️⃣0️⃣1️⃣3️⃣ ICC Champions Trophy winner 🏆
Here's wishing former #TeamIndia cricketer Shikhar Dhawan a very happy birthday 👏 🎂 pic.twitter.com/2wClVPmprk
Test Debut Mastery: 187 Against Australia
Dhawan made a spectacular Test debut, scoring a phenomenal 187 off 174 balls against Australia in Mohali. His aggressive style of batting made a statement pretty quickly, and he was followed by some outstanding performances, including a century and near-century (98) during India’s tour of New Zealand in 2014.
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Struggles In England And Australia
Although Dhawan faced difficulties during India’s subsequent tours of England and Australia in 2014, he showed great adaptability. Even though he struggled in Test cricket, his aggression ensured that he kept getting opportunities in the limited-overs format.
World Cup Success In 2015
Dhawan proved all his critics wrong when he scored 412 runs at an average of 51.50 in the 2015 World Cup and proved his worth for the team in the game’s most important tournament.
Back-To-Back Away Test Centuries
Dhawan’s technique was often criticized for its lack of footwork, but his resilience shone through. In 2015, he became only the third Indian opener to score back-to-back away Test centuries, in Fatullah and Galle. The century in Galle was a more restrained knock, showing Dhawan’s ability to balance attack with caution.
Dominance Against Sri Lanka
Dhawan’s consistency against Sri Lanka became evident as he scored 550 runs in eight Test innings, both at home and away, over two years. The record further cemented his position in the Indian line-up.
