'Your Legacy is Forever Etched...': Legendary Sachin Tendulkar's Heartwarming Post for Shikhar Dhawan

Legendary Sachin Tendulkar came up with a heartwarming message for Shikhar Dhawan who bowed out from international and domestic cricket on Saturday. The latter announced his retirement via a video message on Saturday, stating that he had peace in his heart that he played for so long for the country.

Meanwhile, Tendulkar hailed Dhawan’s infectious positivity and unshakable team spirit. Taking to microblogging site X, the master blaster shared an incredible post, wishing Dhawan luck for “whatever comes next.”

“The cricket field will surely miss your flamboyance, @SDhawan25. Your smile, your style, and your love for the game have always been infectious. As you turn the page on your cricketing career, know that your legacy is forever etched in the hearts of fans and teammates alike. Wishing you nothing but the best in whatever comes next. Keep smiling, Shikhar,” Tendulkar wrote.

Dhawan shared the dressing room with batting legend Tendulkar only thrice in his career. They played together for India for the first time in 2013, in the second Test match of the Border-Gavaskar series at home against Australia. It was Dhawan’s debut match and he scored a ravishing 187 in the first innings. Their next two appearances together were in Sachin’s final series against West Indies.

A product of Sonnet Club and a fighter from West Delhi, Dhawan appeared in 34 Tests, 167 ODIs and 68 T20Is for India but had fallen out of favour in the last couple of years due to patchy form and the emergence of younger opening talents like Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shubman Gill.

His best came in the 50-over format in which he amassed 6793 runs at an average of 44.11, including 17 hundreds and 39 fifties. He averaged 40.61 for his 2315 Test runs, which featured seven centuries. He is a bonafide IPL legend, appearing in 222 matches, that yielded 6769 runs, including two hundreds and 51 half-centuries.

His 768 fours in the tournament are the highest by any batter and he also holds the distinction of being the first to hit consecutive hundreds in the event.