‘I popped painkillers and scored’ – Shikhar Dhawan picks his favourite knock in India colours

Shikhar Dhawan. (Source – Getty Images)

Shikhar Dhawan posted a video message on his various social media handles on Saturday, August 24, to announce his retirement from international and domestic cricket.

The cricket fraternity has been extending their heartfelt congratulatory messages for the southpaw, who played several match-winning innings for the Men in Blue during his international career, which started in 2010. Dhawan had his ups and downs like other cricketers but his knack of bringing his A-game to the fore in ICC events set him apart.

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After announcing his retirement, the Delhi batter picked his knock of 117 off 109 balls at The Oval in London against Australia during the 2019 ODI World Cup as his favourite as it showcased his courage and determination. During the ninth over of the match, a delivery from Pat Cummins hit Dhawan’s thumb and it was later revealed that it caused a fracture. However, the opening batter did not leave the field and continued batting after taking painkillers. He eventually went on to score a brilliant hundred and helped India win the high-scoring clash by 36 runs.

“I have a few favourite innings that are close to my heart, especially the 2019 World Cup. We were playing a match against Australia. I was batting on 25 when I broke my thumb. The ball came at 150 clicks and hit my here (pointing towards his left thumb). I popped painkillers and scored 117 from there,” Dhawan told Hindustan Times.

“The MCG one was also a very good knock of mine. More so because I wasn’t scoring runs prior to it. I am thankful to Dhoni for backing me and persisting with me in the World Cup. I was always able to play well in ODIs, but the occasional dip in form is inevitable. That’s when I scored those 137 runs. I like that one too,” Dhawan added.

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The 38-year-old played 34 Tests, 167 ODIs, and 68 T20Is during his international career. His best performances came in the 50-over format, where he amassed 6,793 runs at an average of 44.11 and a strike rate of 91.35. He registered 17 centuries and 39 half-centuries during his ODI career.