30 Unknown Facts About Shikhar Dhawan Every Fan Should Know

25 June 2019, 3:11 pm EDT By Ruby Karnick

Shikhar Dhawan, who holds the record for most runs - with a total of 689 runs, in a calendar year in Twenty20 International cricket, is the first Indian to score a century in his 100th ODI game. Here are some facts about the Indian professional cricketer:

Popularly known as ‘Gabbar,’ Shikhar Dhawan, was born on December 5, 1985, in Delhi, to Sunaina and Mahendra Pal Dhawan. He has a younger sister Shreshta Dhawan, a jewelry designer.
He is married to former kickboxer and Melbourne based Ayesha Mukherjee since October 30, 2012. They have a son, Zoravar and two daughters Rhea and Aliyah from Ayesha’s previous marriage.
Shikhar Dhawan’s interest in cricket was largely due his cousin and was enrolled at the Sonnet Club, under the guidance of coach Tarak Sinha at the age of 12 years. He completed his schooling from St. Mark’s Senior Secondary Public School, Delhi.
Although he made it to Delhi Under-16 side for the Vijay Merchant Trophy in 1999, he made his mark in the following season when he scored 755 runs at an average of 83.88, with two hundred with a top score of 199. He went on to represent North Zone in Under-16 for the Vijay Hazare Trophy.
His performances for Delhi in the Under-16 tournament earned him a place in the India Under-17 Asia Cup squad. He played three games averaging 85 runs with highest score of 64.
With his consistent performance in the age group tournaments for his State and for the Zone, he the earned honor of leading Delhi Under-19 for the MA Chidambaram Trophy where he averaged 66.66 and subsequently earned a call up to Indian Under-19 team.
Shikhar Dhawan was the Player of the Series at the 2004 Under-19 Cricket World Cup played in Bangladesh, where he averaged 84.16, with three centuries and a fifty. He was leading scored with 505 runs in seven innings, a tournament record till date.
He made his first-class debut for Delhi against Andhra in November 2004, in the Ranji Trophy, with a score of 49.He had successful season scoring 461 runs in 11 innings averaging 41.90. He had a century and two half century with 130 as the highest score.
He started graduating from List A to Challenger series on to representing India-A. against the touring Pakistani team in March 2005. He went on score 117 against Zimbabwe Cricket Union President XI and 65 for Board President XI against Touring Sri Lankan, amply justified his growing reputation.
Representing India-A, in the EurAsia Limited Overs Cricket Series in May 2006, he was the lead run scorer with 288 runs at an average of 72 including a hundred and two fifties.

His performances for India-A on the tour of England, where he scored 179 of 208 balls against Yorkshire and averaged 41.50 in the limited-overs triangular series involving England-A and West Indies-A, earned a call to Rest of India squad for the Irani Cup in October 2010, where he scored 83 to help Rest of India win the cup.
He made his Ode Day International debut against Australia on October 20, 2010, with not so memorable performance after being bowled by McKay for naught with the second ball of India’s innings and of his career.
In October 2011, after a series of poor performances in the recent past, he made two aggressive and substantial centuries of 177 off 165 balls in the first innings and 155 of 126 balls in the second innings of Irani Cup match against Rajasthan. He was named Man of the Match for his efforts.
On March 14, 2013, Shikhar Dhawan made his debut in Test match at Mohali, against Australia after playing 81 first-class matches and scored awe inspiring 187 of 174 balls. He scored his century of 85 balls to register fastest century on debut. He won the man of the Match award.
He forged a long standing partnership with Rohit Sharma for the first time at the 2013 ICC Champions Trophy in England. He was named Player of the Tournament and won the Golden Bat award as the top run getter with 363 runs at an average of 90.75. He had score of 114, 102 not out, 48, 68, and 31 in the tournament.
On August 12, 2013, Dhawan recorded second highest List-A innings of all time by scoring 248 runs of 150 balls against South Africa-A, in the triangular series also involving Australia-A. He finished as the highest run getter in the series with 410 runs at an average of 102.50.
In the second One Day International against Australia in Jaipur on October 16, 2013, in reply to Australia’s total of 359/5, India scored 362 for the loss of one wicket to record second successful run chase in the history of ODI cricket. Apart from century from Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, Dhawan scored 95 of 86 balls.
After being out of form he scored his second test century, a 115 in the second innings of first test against New Zealand in February 2014, in Auckland. He also scored 98 in the second test to end the series as the leading Indian scorer with 215 runs in four innings at an average of 53.75.
After indifferent form against England and West Indies, he came on to his own in the series against Sri Lanka, in November 2014, when he scored 113, 79, and 91. He was the third highest run scorer with 283 at an average of 94.33 in three matches.
At the 2015 World Cup held in Australia and New Zealand, Shikhar Dhawan, ended the tournament as fifth highest run getter and India’s top scorer with 412 runs at an average of 51.50 with two centuries and one fifty.

When he scored 134 in the first Test during the tour of Sri Lanka in August 2015, he became the third Indian opener after Sunil Gavaskar and Rahul Dravid to score back to back test hundred in away Tests. He had earlier scored 115 against New Zealand and 173 not out against Bangladesh.
On February 10, 2018, Shikhar Dhawan stroked a handsome 100 of 99 balls in the fourth ODI against South Africa, for his 13th ODI ton, to become first Indian to hit a hundred on his 100th ODI. He scored 323 runs in six ODIs and led with most runs in the T20 series with 143 at an average of 47.67.
He was the leading scorer in the 2017 ICC Champions Trophy held in England, with 338 runs at an average of 67.60. He had a score of 68, 125, 78, 46, and 21 to earn the Golden Bat award, as the Player of the tournament.
In the process he scored 500 runs in seven matches to become the fastest to achieve in tournament history and also became the fourth player with three centuries in the Champions Trophy.
Shikhar Dhawan was wrecker in chief in India’s 3-0 Test series win over Sri Lanka in 2017. He was named Player of the Series with 358 runs at an average of 89.50 in four innings with two centuries.
On June 14, 2018, Dhawan became the first Indian and sixth player in the world to score century before lunch break on the first day of a test match against Afghanistan. He scored 104 before lunch break in 91 balls with 19 fours and 3 sixes and was declared Player of the Match.
He was part of Sunrisers Hyderabad, which won the 2016 Indian Premier League. He scored 501 runs in 17 matches at an average of 38.53, as the fifth highest run scorer in the tournament.
In his 12 seasons in the IPL he has aggregated 4579 runs at an average of 33.42, in 159 matches with 37 fifties including a highest score of 97, playing for Delhi and Hyderabad franchisees. He also has four wickets to his name.
In April 2019, Dhawan, was picked for the 2019 Cricket World Cup being held in England & Wales. During his match winnings 117 runs, he injured his left hand thumb and was put on injured list for couple of weeks.
Dhawan has to his credit 2315 runs in 34 test matches with seven centuries and five fifties apart from 5480 runs in 130 matches with 17 centuries and 27 fifties in One Day Internationals. He has also scored 1310 runs in 50 T20 internationals.