Heartwarming message from Rohit Sharma for "the ultimate jatt" Dhawan Shikhar

 A day after Shikhar Dhawan announced his retirement from cricket, Rohit Sharma paid tribute to his long-time opening partner with a heartfelt message, acknowledging the crucial role Dhawan played in their successful partnership. "You always made my job easier from the other end," Rohit wrote, reflecting on their time together at the top of India's batting order.

Heartwarming message from Rohit Sharma for "the ultimate jatt" Dhawan Shikhar

Dhawan, who retired on Saturday with a social media video post, concluded an illustrious international career spanning over a decade. During this time, he formed one of India's most formidable opening partnerships with Rohit Sharma, becoming a key figure in India's cricketing success.

"From sharing rooms to sharing lifetime memories on the field. You always made my job easier from the other end. THE ULTIMATE JATT @SDhawan25," Rohit posted, reminiscing about the bond and memories they created both on and off the field.

Read on X Shikhar Dhawan, a left-handed batsman known for his aggressive stroke play, represented India in 34 Test matches, amassing 2,315 runs at an average of 40.61, including seven centuries and five fifties. In limited-overs cricket, he played 167 ODIs and 68 T20Is, scoring 6,793 and 1,759 runs, respectively. Dhawan maintained an average of 44.11 in ODIs and 27.92 in T20Is. His record in limited-overs internationals includes 17 centuries, all in ODIs, along with 39 half-centuries in ODIs and five in T20Is.

Debuting in an ODI in October 2010, Dhawan quickly established himself as a crucial player for India, especially in ICC tournaments, where he often rose to the occasion. A highlight of his career was a remarkable six-year period when he, alongside Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, became part of a prolific trio that collectively scored a century of centuries. From June 1, 2013, to June 30, 2019, the three cricketers scored a combined total of 102 centuries across all formats.

**Breakdown of Centuries by the Trio (June 1, 2013 - June 30, 2019):**  

| Batsman         | Innings | 100s | Tests | ODIs | T20Is |

|-----------------|---------|------|-------|------|-------|

| Virat Kohli     | 274     | 49   | 21    | 28   | 0     |

| Rohit Sharma    | 228     | 30   | 3     | 23   | 4     |

| Shikhar Dhawan  | 229     | 23   | 6     | 17   | 0     |

In his retirement video, Dhawan reflected on his cricketing journey, stating, "It's important to turn the page to move forward in life, and that's why I am announcing my retirement from international and domestic cricket. As I bid goodbye to my cricket journey, I have peace in my heart that I played for so long."

He further added, "I am standing at a point in my life where, when I look back, I see only memories; and when I look ahead, I see a new world. I had just one goal in life, to play for India, and I made it happen."

With his retirement, Shikhar Dhawan leaves behind a legacy of memorable performances and a reputation as one of India’s most reliable openers, having contributed significantly to the team's success in both Test and limited-overs formats.