Cricket Community Comes Together to Honor Shikhar Dhawan on His 39th Birthday
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New Delhi, Dec 5 (NationPress) The legendary former Indian cricketer Shikhar Dhawan celebrated his 39th birthday this Thursday, garnering warm wishes from friends, family, and fellow cricketers.
Dhawan's special day prompted former teammates and friends to share nostalgic and heartfelt tributes. Suresh Raina, a close companion and former player, posted a series of photos on his Instagram, celebrating their friendship. Accompanying the images, Raina expressed: “To the man who brings flair and fun to the pitch, Happy Birthday Brother, @shikhardofficial. Your fearless batting and infectious smile inspire millions. Have a smashing year ahead!”
Veteran off-spinner Harbhajan Singh also took to his Instagram story to extend his birthday wishes to Dhawan. Sharing a picture of the two, Harbhajan's message was concise yet warm: “Happy Birthday Jatta.”
Yuvraj Singh, who has shared the field with Dhawan in numerous international matches, made sure to commemorate his friend's birthday. On his Instagram story, the former all-rounder wrote: “Happy Gabbar Diwas to one of the funniest and down-to-earth teammates to have played with! Hope you stay blessed and keep talking with that bat even after retirement.”
India pacer Umesh Yadav shared a picture of the duo and wrote: “Wishing you a very Happy Birthday Shikhi Paajhi! May God bless you, Bro, with the best of health and happiness.”
Former India pacer Irfan Pathan added, “Wishing @shikhardofficial a very happy birthday. Life ka enjoyment sahi se karne wala ek hi banda hai. Sheraaaaa.”
Making his India debut in 2010, Dhawan has left behind an impressive legacy filled with milestones. He has scored over 10,000 international runs across formats, with 6793 ODI runs at a remarkable average of 44.11 and a strike rate of 91.35. His memorable Test debut in 2013 against Australia featured an unforgettable 85-ball century - the fastest by a debutant - ultimately leading to an impressive 187. In T20Is, Dhawan has accumulated 1759 runs with a strike rate of 126.36.
Dhawan's ODI excellence was particularly evident during India’s 2013 Champions Trophy victory, where he scored 363 runs and secured the Golden Bat award. In the IPL, his consistency has been remarkable, becoming the tournament's second-highest run-scorer with 6,769 runs.
In 34 Tests, he accumulated 2315 runs at an average of 40.61, and in 68 T20Is, 1759 runs at a strike rate of 126.36.
Dhawan has represented Delhi Capitals, Mumbai Indians, Deccan Chargers, Sunrisers Hyderabad, and Punjab Kings in the IPL, where he ranks as the second-highest run-getter after Kohli. His 6769 runs came across 222 matches at a strike rate of 127.14.
In domestic cricket, Dhawan's early career coincided with the Ranji Trophy success for Delhi; he was part of the title-winning team in 2007-08 when Delhi triumphed over Uttar Pradesh at the Wankhede. He was also the top run-scorer at the Under-19 World Cup in 2004.
