Shikhar Dhawan

Lore & Background

Dhawan was born on 5 December 1985 in Delhi, India to Sunaina and Mahendra Pal Dhawan. He 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 coach Tarak Sinha, who has trained 12 international cricketers. Dhawan was a wicket-keeper when he first joined the club. Despite being a right hander who writes right handed, Dhawan learnt to bat left handed. He first played for Delhi Under-16s in the 1999/00 Vijay Merchant Trophy and was the leading run-scorer of the 2000/01 Vijay Merchant Trophy. He played for India in the 2004 Under-19 World Cup in Bangladesh and finished as the leading run-scorer of the tournament. Dhawan made his first-class debut for Delhi against Andhra in November 2004. He was made captain of the Delhi team for the Ranji One-day Trophy in February 2007. Delhi won the 2007–08 season of Ranji Trophy in which Dhawan made 570 runs from 8 matches. He was recalled to the India A squad that toured England in June–July 2010.

In Their Own Story

The evening light was turning the pitch at Feroz Shah Kotla into a strip of hammered gold. Dhawan walked out to the third over, the smell of cut grass and the distant thud of a ball off a bat still hanging in the humid air. The stands were a sea of saffron and blue, the noise a low, constant roar that vibrated in the chest. He settled into his guard, the leather of the willow bat slightly tacky from the evening damp. The bowler ran in, and for a half-second the stadium held its breath. Then the crack — that particular, full, resonant crack that only a well-timed drive produces — and the ball sailed over the long-on rope into the upper tier, where a kid in a faded jersey caught it and screamed. The roar that followed was not applause. It was recognition. It was a city saying, *yes, this is ours.*

Reader's Guide

Shikhar Dhawan is a left-handed opening batter. He is known for his aggressive stroke play and has been a key player for India in limited-overs formats. He has also represented Delhi in domestic cricket. His career includes notable achievements such as the fastest century on Test debut and the highest score by an Indian on Test debut.

Did You Know?

• Dhawan scored the fastest century by any batsman on Test debut (85 balls) against Australia in March 2013.
• He is the first Indian to score a century in his 100th ODI, against South Africa in Johannesburg.
• Dhawan was the leading run-scorer of the 2004 Under-19 World Cup with 505 runs.
• Despite being right-handed in writing, Dhawan bats left-handed.