“I genuinely credit many of my top-notch performances to Rohit’s support” :Shikhar Dhawan.
In cricket, the significance of partnerships cannot be overstated, often serving as the cornerstone of a team’s success. Shikhar Dhawan attributes a substantial portion of his standout performances in the limited-overs format to his successful collaboration with Rohit Sharma. Over the period from 2013 to 2022, the dynamic opening pair accumulated an impressive total of 5,148 runs while representing Team India in ODIs.
Dhawan expressed his appreciation for Rohit’s pivotal role at the top of the batting order. “The partnership with Rohit and his consistent support at the opening position has been instrumental in providing our team with strong starts, laying the foundation for successful run chases and high scores. I genuinely attribute many of my stellar performances to Rohit’s unwavering support,” Dhawan conveyed in an interview with the Times of India.
Reflecting on their memorable innings, Dhawan singled out two noteworthy partnerships. “Having Rohit as my partner instills a sense of comfort and confidence. In my view, our most remarkable performance was the 193-run opening stand against Australia in the fourth ODI at Mohali in 2019. The second notable partnership was our 210-run collaboration against Pakistan in the 2018 Asia Cup in Dubai.”
Despite the success of their partnership, Dhawan’s international career faced a setback, with his last appearance in 2022. The emergence of Ishan Kishan and Shubman Gill resulted in his exclusion from the Indian white-ball squad in 2023.
Dhawan’s cricket journey persists as he takes on the role of captain for the Punjab Kings in the 2024 IPL. In the 2023 IPL season, under Dhawan’s leadership, Punjab concluded in eighth place in the standings, with Dhawan scoring 373 runs in 11 games. As the 14th captain of the Punjab Kings in the seventeenth year of the IPL, Dhawan remains a seasoned campaigner, eager to contribute to his team’s success on the cricketing stage.