Rohit Sharma breaks silence on Shikhar Dhawan's retirement

India Test and ODI captain Rohit Sharma paid tribute to his long-time opening partner Shikhar Dhawan following his retirement from international and domestic cricket.

Rohit said that Shikhar Dhawan made his job easier during their partnership at the top of the order for Team India.

Shikhar Dhawan announced his retirement from international and domestic cricket on Saturday, August 24. The Delhi-born cricketer played for India in 34 Tests, 267 ODIs, and 68 T20I matches.

Dhawan scored more than 10,000 runs with the help of 24 centuries for the India national cricket team.

The ULTIMATE JATT - Rohit Sharma

Rohit shared a heartfelt message following Shikhar Dhawan's retirement announcement. Sharma described Dhawan as the 'ultimate jatt' and added that he made his role easier as his opening partner. He also noted that they shared many memorable moments both on and off the field.

"From sharing rooms to sharing lifetime memories on the field. You always made my job easier from the other end. THE ULTIMATE JATT," Sharma wrote.

From sharing rooms to sharing lifetime memories on the field. You always made my job easier from the other end. THE ULTIMATE JATT. @SDhawan25 pic.twitter.com/ROFwAHgpuo

— Rohit Sharma (@ImRo45) August 25, 2024

Rohit and Shikhar Dhawan were known for their explosive batting. The batting duo of Rohit and Dhawan made a significant impact in international cricket with their aggressive style.

They added 5,148 runs in international cricket, the fourth-highest partnership among all opening pairs.

Sourav Ganguly-Sachin Tendulkar, Adam Gilchrist-Matthew Hayden, and Gordon Greenidge-Desmond Haynes added more runs than the duo in ODIs. They formed 18 century stands, the second-highest for an ODI opening pair. Overall, they scored over 14,000 runs across formats.

Thier partnership started during the 2013 Champions Trophy. They put together a 127-run stand against South Africa in Cardiff. Dhawan scored his first ODI century, while Rohit added 65 runs in the match. They went on to play many memorable knocks for India.

I Was A Fan Of Shikhar Dhawan During The U19 Days - Rohit Sharma

The Indian skipper recently shared that he was a fan of Shikhar Dhawan during their junior cricket days. Dhawan made a significant impact during the 2004 U-19 World Cup in Bangladesh, where he scored 505 runs and was named Player of the Series.

Rohit recalled that he was impressed by Dhawan's talent when he first saw him on television and later at the National Cricket Academy (NCA). He acknowledged that Dhawan had built a strong reputation early on and proved his abilities over the years.

“I was a fan of him during the Under 19 days. He was the man of the series in the World Cup in Bangladesh. That was the first time I was watching him and there was something special about him when I watched him on the television,” Rohit had told journalist Vimal Kumar in an interview.

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