Know Your Player – Shikhar Dhawan
Cricketing milestones, rise through the ranks, trials and tribulations and their glamorous lifestyles – we cover it all in ‘Know Your Player’, a brand-new section aimed at keeping you updated with everything you need to know! In this edition, we take a look at one of the most successful opening batsmen to play for India, Shikhar Dhawan.
The Rise
Born into a Punjabi family, Shikhar completed his schooling at St. Mark’s Senior Secondary Public School in Meera Bagh, Delhi. Since the age of 12, he trained at Sonnet Club under the guidance of the famous coach Tarak Sinha. Dhawan was a wicket-keeper when he first joined the club.
Dhawan’s impressive performances for Delhi Under-16s were rewarded with a selection in the India Under-17 squad. The left-handed batsman then played for India in the 2004 Under-19 World Cup in Bangladesh and finished as the leading run-scorer of the tournament. His total of 505 runs from seven innings is a record for a single tournament that still stands.
Making his first-class debut for Delhi against Andhra in November 2004, Dhawan finished as Delhi’s leading run-getter in the Ranji season with a total of 461 runs from 6 matches. However, the Delhi batsman was inconsistent in the next few years. With India having a fleet of legendary batsmen in their ranks, the talented youngster had to wait.
In October 2010, the Indian selectors selected a “second string” squad for a three-match ODI series against Australia, in which Dhawan eventually made his international debut. After consistent performances in the 2012–13 domestic season, Dhawan was rewarded with a call-up to the Indian Test squad in February 2013 for the four-match series against Australia. With a smashing century on Test debut, Dhawan cemented his place in the Indian team.
Career Highlights
Off The Field
Dhawan is a happy-go-lucky person and his personality reflects in his on-field play. Ever-ready to jump in with his thigh-five celebration, Dhawan has been thoroughly entertaining on the cricket field. He has appeared in many chat shows. In 2012, the Indian cricketer married Melbourne-based Ayesha Mukherjee, an amateur boxer. Mukherjee was introduced to Dhawan by Harbhajan Singh. She was a mother of two daughters from her previous marriage. In early 2014, she gave birth to a son named Zoravar. Dhawan has also adopted Ayesha’s daughters, Aliyah and Rhea.
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