Happy Birthday Shikhar Dhawan: 10 Facts About the 'Gabbar' of Cricket

Shikhar Dhawan, counted among one of India’s most aggressive openers, burst onto the scene with his explosive 505 runs and Player of the Match trophy at the 2004 Under-19 World Cup in Bangladesh. This feat grabbed the attention of cricket fraternities worldwide.

His India debut in ODIs against Australia in October 2010 confirmed his talent, but it was his memorable Test debut in 2013 that truly cemented his place in the Indian team. Dhawan has been a consistent performer for over a decade, both in international cricket and the Indian Premier League (IPL). He is active on social media and has over 16.1 million Instagram followers. The cricketer turns 38 today on December 5.

Here are 10 Facts about Shikhar Dhawan

1. Dhawan was born in Delhi to Sunaina and Mahendra Pal Dhawan on December 5, 1985. His family is Punjabi. Dhawan completed his schooling at St. Mark’s Senior Secondary Public School in Meera Bagh. At 12, he began practicing cricket at Sonnet Club under the guidance of famed coach Tarak Sinha.
2. Dhawan began his professional cricket career at 14 when he played for Delhi Under-16 in the 1999 Vijay Merchant Trophy. He made the most runs in the tournament.
3. He was subsequently picked for India Under-17 and quickly made into the Delhi Under-19 team at 15.
4. His major career milestone arrived in 2004 when he played in the Under-19 World Cup in Bangladesh and emerged as the leading run-scorer of the tournament with 505 runs. The same year, he made his first-class debut for Delhi in the Ranji Trophy.
5. He made his One Day International (ODI) debut against Australia in October 2010.
6. Over his two-decade-long career, Dhawan has made multiple records. He became the ‘fastest Test century by a debutant’ when he played against Australia in 2013. In this match, he made 100 runs in 85 balls.
7. He has the record of making the most runs by an Indian player in the 2015 ICC World Cup
8. He is the only player to receive two consecutive golden bats at the ICC Champions Trophy.
9. In 2008, when he was 23-year-old, he got engaged to Melbourne-based Aesha Mukerji, an experienced kickboxer. They got married in 2012 and in 2014, the couple welcomed their son Zoravar. Dhawan also adopted Aesha’s daughters from her previous marriage.
10. Dhawan and Mukerji separated in September 2021. They were granted a divorce on October 5, 2023.