Ravi Shastri shared a heartfelt message for Shikhar Dhawan after the veteran opener decided to retire from both international and domestic cricket on August 24, Saturday.
The former India head coach expressed his emotions on Sunday, August 25, following Dhawan’s announcement, which officially ended an international career that began in 2010. Dhawan, known for his aggressive stroke play and reliability at the top of the order, also revealed that he would be stepping away from domestic cricket.
Since the announcement, tributes have been pouring in from various cricketers, with Virat Kohli leading the way. Shastri joined the chorus of well-wishers by posting on his official X account, sending Dhawan best wishes for his retirement. Shastri expressed how much joy and entertainment Dhawan brought him during his seven-year tenure as coach and team director.
Shastri concluded his message by highlighting that Dhawan is still young and has plenty of opportunities to continue contributing to the sport in different capacities.
"Enjoy your retirement, Shiki Boy! You brought me so much joy and entertainment during my 7 years as coach and director. Your match-winning innings in ICC tournaments, Asia Cups, and that unforgettable knock in Galle will always be remembered. You’re still young and have plenty of ways to contribute to the sport. God bless," Shastri wrote.
In his retirement video, Dhawan reflected on his journey, expressing gratitude to everyone who supported him throughout his career. He shared that playing for India was his ultimate goal, and he achieved it with the help of many, including his family and childhood coaches Tarak Sinha and Madan Sharma.
"I always had one goal in mind: to play for India, and I achieved it thanks to a lot of people. First of all, my family, my childhood coaches Tarak Sinha and Madan Sharma, under whose guidance I learned cricket. Then my entire team with whom I played for years—I got another family, fame, and everyone’s love and support. As it’s said to move ahead in the story, you need to flip over the pages. Hence, I’m also doing that. I’m announcing my retirement from international and domestic cricket," Dhawan said.
Dhawan has also hinted at exploring a role in commentary in the future.