Senior Indian cricketer and Punjab Kings' captain Shikhar Dhawan has opened up about his upcoming transition from professional cricket to a new chapter in his life. The 38-year-old, who suffered a shoulder injury during the IPL 2024 season, expressed that his age might not allow him to play top-level cricket for much longer. Dhawan also shared his disappointment about not being able to play for Punjab in the majority of the season and believes he is in a "transition" period in his career.
Shikhar Dhawan Retires from International Cricket
On 26th March 2023, veteran Indian cricketer Shikhar Dhawan announced his retirement from international cricket. The left-handed batsman, who has been a consistent performer for India across formats, made the decision after consulting with his family and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).
Background
Dhawan, 38, has had an illustrious career spanning over a decade. He made his international debut in 2010 and has since represented India in 34 Test matches, 167 One-Day Internationals (ODIs), and 71 Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is). Dhawan is renowned for his aggressive style of batting and has scored over 25,000 international runs, including 18 international centuries.
Retirement Announcement
In a statement posted on his social media accounts, Dhawan expressed his gratitude to his fans, teammates, and the BCCI for their support throughout his journey. He stated that he feels it is the right time for him to step away from international cricket and focus on the next phase of his life.
Transition to New Chapter
Dhawan revealed that he is excited about the new opportunities that await him after retirement. He plans to spend more time with his family, pursue his philanthropic interests, and contribute to the development of young cricketers.
FAQs
1. Why did Shikhar Dhawan retire? Dhawan retired due to a combination of age and injury. He suffered a shoulder injury during the 2023 IPL season, which affected his performance.
2. What are Dhawan's career highlights? Dhawan has scored over 25,000 international runs, including 18 international centuries. He was a key member of India's 2013 Champions Trophy-winning team and played a crucial role in India's run to the 2017 ICC Cricket World Cup final.
3. What will Dhawan do after retirement? Dhawan plans to focus on his family, pursue philanthropy, and mentor young cricketers.
4. Will Dhawan continue to play domestic cricket? Dhawan has not announced his plans for domestic cricket, but he has expressed his desire to continue playing in the IPL.
5. Who will replace Shikhar Dhawan in the Indian team? The BCCI has not yet announced a replacement for Dhawan in the Indian team. However, young openers such as Prithvi Shaw and Shubman Gill are expected to compete for his spot.
In a recent development, England's Ben Stokes and Jos Buttler have signed two-year central contracts with the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB). The contracts, which were introduced in 2023, cover both red-ball and white-ball players and take into consideration their likelihood of featuring in England teams in the next period. Rising star Jamie Smith has also been awarded a two-year contract, while players like Phil Salt, Olly Stone, Shoaib Bashir and Will Jacks have one-year deals.
Former Portugal and Benfica midfielder, Ruben Amorim, has been making waves in the football world as he has established himself as one of Europe's most promising young coaches. After leading Sporting to the league title twice, he is now reportedly heading to Manchester United. In an unexpected turn of events, Amorim has said that he will provide more information about his move to United after Sporting's upcoming league game against Estrela da Amadora on Friday. Despite the potential two-and-a-half-year deal, Amorim is not expected to start in his new role until the November international break. Stay tuned for more updates on this exciting transfer saga.
After being retained by the Royal Challengers Bangalore for a record-breaking amount of Rs 21 crore, Virat Kohli shared an emotional message for the franchise's fans, expressing his commitment to the team for the next three years. Kohli also revealed that his ultimate goal is to win the IPL title at least once in the upcoming cycle. RCB management, in the meantime, is exploring all options for the captaincy role after releasing Faf du Plessis, and also expressed their disappointment in not being able to retain Cameron Green due to injury.
Indian captain Rohit Sharma and franchise skipper Hardik Pandya have decided to retain five national team players for Mumbai Indians in the upcoming IPL 2025 season. After a disappointing performance in the last edition, Rohit Sharma expressed his determination to create a strong team and bring back the legacy of the five-time winners. There were also talks about Rohit's future in the team, but he expressed his happiness and determination to turn things around with the help of his teammates.
As the deadline for IPL retention passes, big names like Jos Buttler, Mitchell Starc, Faf du Plessis, and Glenn Maxwell have been let go by their respective franchises. With only two teams having exhausted their 'right-to-match' cards, the rest of the franchises will be vying for these players in the upcoming mega auction. Fans can catch all the updates on Manorama Online App.
CSK announced that they will retain MS Dhoni for INR 4 crore for the 2025 season of the Indian Premier League. This decision was met with widespread celebration on social media, with fans expressing their joy at seeing the 43-year-old wicketkeeper-batter in action once again. Dhoni, who holds the record for most matches played in IPL history, has been an integral part of CSK since he joined the team in 2008. Along with Dhoni, CSK also retained Ruturaj Gaikwad, Ravindra Jadeja and other popular players for the upcoming season. This announcement comes as all ten IPL franchises have announced their list of retained players for the auction.
Defending champions Mumbai Indians have announced the list of five players they have retained for the upcoming 2024 edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL). Veteran pacer Jasprit Bumrah became the highest-paid player in the franchise's history with a whopping fee of Rs. 18 crore, followed by Suryakumar Yadav and Hardik Pandya, who were retained for Rs. 16.35 crore each. The franchise also announced the reappointment of Sri Lankan legend Mahela Jayawardene as their head coach and confirmed that Pandya will continue to lead next season. With just one right-to-match option for an uncapped player, the team will enter the mega auction with a budget of Rs. 45 crore.
On Wednesday, the England and Wales Cricket Board announced the updated central contract list for England men's cricket, with notable omissions of players such as Ben Foakes and Ollie Robinson. However, captain Ben Stokes and Jos Buttler both signed extensions on their contracts. This news comes ahead of England's white-ball series against West Indies, which can be watched live on Sky Sports from October 31-November 17.
In a preview to the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, India A faced off against Australia A in their first four-day Test. What ensued was a disastrous collapse for India A with doggett's spell of 6/15 dismantling the batters. Despite a promising start from Devdutt Padikkal, India A crumbled and were bowled out for 107 runs. However, the bowlers showed some fight as Australia A also struggled with the bat, ending the day at 99/4.
As the full list of retentions and releases ahead of the mega-auction is finally complete, here is a teamwise analysis and updates that you don't want to miss. While Rohit Sharma and Hardik Pandya-led Mumbai Indians retained their core players, Delhi Capitals officially let go of their long-time player Rishabh Pant. The ownership structure and management changes may have played a role in Pant's departure from the team.