Shikhar Dhawan’s ODI Retirement: Gabbar’s Serene Journey of Near-Perfect Pace

Shikhar Dhawan, famously known as “Gabbar” in the world of cricket, has just announced his retirement from One Day Internationals. A very super era ends in Indian cricket. A consistent, resilient, and unflappable career is what Dhawan has had. As he walks away from the ODI format, it’s worth reflecting on the journey of a player who whistled along serenely, setting the pace for India in so many crucial encounters.

Shikhar Dhawan: The Rise of Gabbar

Dhawan marked his entry onto the international scene by scoring a blasting 187, granted on his Test debut against Australia in 2013, but days later, it was in ODIs where he truly established himself as one of India’s most reliable opening batsmen. This made him a great crowd-puller with his balance of aggression and cautious style of play, coupled with his trademark celebrations. The respect thus eventually paid to the ability to intimidate bowlers came in the form of Gabbar, taken from the iconic Bollywood villain in the film Sholay.

A Model of Consistency

Throughout his ODI career, Dhawan was a model of consistency. Whether it was the ICC Champions Trophy—he won the Golden Bat in both 2013 and 2017—or key series against top teams, Dhawan was often the man for the big occasion. His 50-over career boasts over 6,500 runs at an average of nearly 45, with 17 centuries to his name—a testament to his ability to deliver when it mattered most.

But in Dhawan’s case, the quantum of runs was not the only bold feature; riding mainly this ability, he most often helped determine the fate of the matches on his good days. He was quite characteristic in his ability to pace the innings: he always started cautiously before opening out with a flurry of strokes. He had the wrist and the knack to know the time to accelerate and when to consolidate. There seemed to be an air of bewitching calm with the serene approach at the crease, even under pressure, that he brought to the team.

The Perfect Foil Dhawan’s partnerships, along with other Indian stalwarts like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, unfolded in many an Indian scorecard success in ODIs. His left-handedness became a perfect foil to Rohit’s right-handed elegance, and together, they became one of the most daunting opening pairs in the modern-day cricketing scenario. Their understanding and ability to complement each other’s particular kind of style brought numerous match-winning stands that quite often laid the foundation for India’s batting dominance.

With Kohli, Dhawan had a kind of understanding that was a bit different. Kohli’s aggressive running between the wickets and disturbing the bowling with constant rotation was balanced by more measured play from Dhawan. Together, they were able to steal many games from under their opponents, with Dhawan playing an anchor role while Kohli went on to attack the bowlers.

A Self-Aware Exit

Dhawan’s decision to retire from ODIs was thus one of self-realization—a quality that defined his career. Feeling that it was the right time to make way for younger talent, he decided to move out on his terms, leaving behind a legacy that shall inspire generations of cricketers in times to come.

As Dhawan waves goodbye to ODIs, the cricketing world is likely to recall a chap who made many others find reasons to smile with his jolly nature and whistling celebrations. His serene journey, almost perfectly paced and relentless in its commitment, is a great reminder that cricket, after all, is a game of character, grace, and timing—not just a game of numbers.

Shikhar Dhawan may have called it a day from ODIs, but surely the memories of the contributions he has made to Indian cricket will keep rekindling. Gabbar has left the building, but what he has planted will keep echoing in the annals of the game.