Star Indian batsman Shikhar Dhawan announced his retirement from international and domestic cricket on August 24 (Saturday). Dhawan shared this news via a video post. He represented Team India in all three formats, but his record in white-ball cricket was especially impressive. The 38-year-old was part of the Indian team that won the 2013 Champions Trophy.
Following Dhawan's retirement, several other Indian cricketers may soon also retire from international cricket. These players have not received opportunities for a significant amount of time, and it is unlikely they will in the future. The focus on youth makes it extremely difficult for these players to make a comeback to the national team. This list includes a World Champion player who participated in the 2011 Cricket World Cup. Let's find out more...
Piyush Chawla:
At 35, Piyush Chawla was part of the Indian team during the 2011 Cricket World Cup. He last played for India in December 2012. The right-arm spinner has played three Tests, 25 ODIs, and seven T20Is for India, with seven Test, 32 ODI, and four T20I wickets to his name. Piyush represented Mumbai Indians (MI) in IPL 2024.
Source: aajtak
Wriddhiman Saha:
After MS Dhoni's retirement from Test cricket, Wriddhiman Saha got several opportunities as a wicketkeeper. However, his career started to decline later. Saha last played against New Zealand in 2021. Having played 40 Tests and nine ODIs, the 39-year-old finds it challenging to make a comeback with KS Bharat, Ishan Kishan, Dhruv Jurel, and Rishabh Pant taking priority.
Ishant Sharma:
At one point, fast bowler Ishant Sharma was a crucial member of India's Test team, but now his career seems over. Ishant has played 105 Tests, 80 ODIs, and 14 T20Is, taking 311 Test, 115 ODI, and eight T20I wickets. He last played a Test match in November 2021 against New Zealand. At 35, a comeback seems unlikely as the team now prefers younger fast bowlers.
Amit Mishra:
Right-arm leg-spinner Amit Mishra has not officially announced his retirement from international cricket. The 41-year-old last represented India in a T20 match against England in 2017. Amit has played 22 Tests, 36 ODIs, and 10 T20Is, taking 156 wickets. In IPL 2024, he played for Lucknow Super Giants (LSG).
Karun Nair:
Apart from Virender Sehwag, Karun Nair is the only Indian to score a triple century in Test cricket. However, the 31-year-old's career graph declined after that. He last played for India in 2017 and now hardly plays domestic cricket, making a comeback difficult. Karun has played six Tests and two ODIs for India.
Source: aajtak
Manish Pandey:
Middle-order batsman Manish Pandey's story is similar to Karun Nair's. The 34-year-old could not capitalize on his opportunities. Pandey has played 29 Tests and 39 T20Is, scoring 566 runs in ODIs and 709 runs in T20Is. He last played for India in July 2021.
Rishi Dhawan:
Rishi Dhawan from Himachal Pradesh has also represented India at the international level. Rishi played three ODIs and one T20I, picking one wicket each in both formats. The 34-year-old last played for India in June 2016.
Mohit Sharma:
Right-arm fast bowler Mohit Sharma played 26 ODIs and eight T20Is, taking 31 wickets in ODIs and six in T20Is. Mohit last played an international match in 2015 and now finds it hard to get opportunities. He plays for Gujarat Titans (GT) in IPL.
Source: aajtak
Umesh Yadav:
Right-arm fast bowler Umesh Yadav has been out of the Indian team for several months. He last played for India in June against Australia. The 36-year-old has played 57 Tests, 75 ODIs, and nine T20Is, taking 170 Test, 106 ODI, and 12 T20I wickets.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar:
Fast bowler Bhuvneshwar Kumar has been away from international cricket for nearly two years. He last played for India in November 2022. Since debuting in 2013, Bhuvi has struggled with injuries. The 34-year-old has played only 21 Tests, 121 ODIs, and 87 T20Is, taking 294 wickets. With young fast bowlers coming in, his chances of making a comeback are slim.
Jayant Yadav:
Right-arm spinner Jayant Yadav also had opportunities to play for India. He has played six Tests and two ODIs, taking 16 Test wickets and scoring 248 runs, along with two ODI wickets. The 34-year-old last played for India in March 2022.
Shikhar Dhawan's Cricket Career:
T20 Internationals- 68 matches, 1759 runs, 27.92 average, 11 half-centuries ODI Internationals- 167 matches, 6793 runs, 44.11 average, 17 centuries and 39 half-centuries Test Cricket- 34 matches, 2315 runs, 40.61 average, seven centuries and five half-centuries IPL- 222 matches, 6769 runs, 35.26 average, two centuries and 51 half-centuries
