Shikhar Dhawan picks star batsman Virat Kohli as the most entertaining Indian cricketer. © AFP
When asked to name the funniest Indian cricketer, former batsman Shikhar Dhawan ignored the likes of Rohit Sharma and Yuzvendra Chahal, who are known for their unmatched humour on and off the field. Instead, Dhawan, who announced his retirement on Saturday, picked star batsman Virat Kohli as the most entertaining player. Dhawan played a total of 110 limited-over matches with Kohli, including 87 ODIs and 23 T20Is. The two also spent a lot of time together on the domestic circuit, both representing Delhi in the early stages of their careers.
“Virat Kohli is the most entertaining guy in the Indian team. I have played with him since childhood and so we have a great bond and relationship,” Dhawan told Hindustan Times.
Dhawan, who made his India debut in an ODI against Australia, will bring his illustrious career to a close on August 24, 2024.
Dhawan's last appearance was in IPL 2024, where he played just five matches due to injury concerns. He has played 222 IPL matches in his career and scored 6,769 runs, including two hundreds and 51 fifties. His 768 fours in the tournament are the highest by any batsman.
The left-hander, who partnered Rohit as an Indian opener, became the second-fastest Indian player to reach 6,000 ODI runs, taking 140 innings to reach the milestone in 50-over cricket; the previous fastest was Kohli, who reached the milestone in 136 innings.
Dhawan has scored 6,793 runs in his ODI career from 167 matches, including 17 centuries and 39 half-centuries. His average in the format is 44.11.
In Test cricket, the 38-year-old Dhawan got off to an impressive start in his debut innings against Australia in 2013. The opener smashed the fastest century by a debutant in red-ball cricket. He reached three figures in 85 balls at Mohali, registering the highest individual score by an Indian debutant in Test cricket. Dhawan played an impressive knock of 187 in his first Test match but fell just short of his well-deserved 200.
(With IANS input)
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