Shikhar Dhawan has a clever intellect that is hidden behind his endearing grin and thigh slaps in the manner of Kabbadi. For good reason, he wasn't one of India's most prolific white-ball openers. His cricketing talent, of course, deserves all the praise, but points, particularly important ones, must be given to his ability to evaluate the situation, which many would (rightly) argue is a crucial component of a successful cricketer's career. It goes beyond the cricket field for Dhawan. One of his distinguishing characteristics. He doesn't waste any time assessing the room. He executed this flawlessly in 2018, then in 2021, and once more in late 2022.

Similar to 2013, 2015, and 2017, but for the opposite reasons, all these years are important in Dhawan's life. Dhawan is not often associated with calmness, but that is precisely how his career began in senior international cricket. Only five runs in a single T20I and 69 runs in five ODIs between October 2010 and February 2013.

Another significant shift appeared to be on the way as Dhawan was still getting acclimated to the world of international cricket. Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir were not producing runs as often, and several different openers were tried. Dhawan once more evaluated the circumstances. He knew that the chances would not run out so quickly because of the hard work he was putting into local cricket and for India A. All he needed to do was cash in. And in March 2013, he certainly did that.

Dhawan literally charged his way to an 85-ball century against an Australian attack that included Mitchell Starc, Peter Siddle, and Nathan Lyon, which is still the fastest century ever recorded by a Test debutante. Dhawan scored 187 at a strike rate of 107.47 after hitting 33 fours and two sixes in an amazing show of fearlessness on a calm Mohali surface. Keep in mind that this occurred in early 2013. The T20 revolution had begun, but it was still a long way from having a significant influence on Test hitting.

When asked if his charging down the track to the Australian pacers was preplanned, Dhawan, who has just announced the release of his autobiography, "The One," told the Hindustan Times in an exclusive interview, "I used to do that in domestic cricket as well. Before I even made my debut in Test cricket, I used to visualize that I am scoring lots of runs for the Indian team, making centuries," he said; the radiant smile making it more special.

Dhawan put it this way: that day, he came to the conclusion that his "bat won't stop." He continued to play his shots, leaving the Australians speechless.

The most recent trip to England in 2018

That sensation was rare for Dhawan over the course of the following 33 Tests. Naturally, there was his elegant 115 against New Zealand in Auckland, his 98 in Wellington in the same series, or his spirited 81 in the second innings. After being forced to retire due to injury while opening the batting, he returned to the game, either in Brisbane against Australia or in his three centuries against Sri Lanka. However, he could never control the red ball as consistently as he could the white one.

Dhawan stated, "I believe I got a respectable average of 40 as an opener," much like the information he shared about his childhood, life, philosophy, and spirituality in his forthcoming book, which promises to go beyond statistics. In the following line, he emphasized his battle with the Dukes ball. I was unable to play in some nations, such as England. Over there, I wasn't able to accomplish much during my two trips. I gave it my all. However, my best efforts were insufficient.

Dhawan's Test career came to an abrupt end during the 2018 England tour. The 39-year-old, who gave up all of his forms last year, remarked, "That's life. Sometimes unexpected things happen to you in a good way." I took it in stride. Whatever I accomplished, I'm pleased with it. Perhaps I felt that I could have had more opportunities back then. Now, when I reflect, I'm content.

No T20 World Cup

Since the highs of 2013, the year 2018 marked the first significant setback in Dhawan's international career. And he predicted it. A silent departure from T20Is, precisely as he had anticipated. The Delhi native flourished at a time when ODIs and T20Is were invariably classified as belonging to the same class of white-ball cricket. Following the 2019 ODI World Cup, the plates began to move.

In T20Is, 1759 runs at a strike rate of 126.36 was far from bad, but the game's quick speed made a change at the top unavoidable. When Dhawan was not chosen for the T20 World Cup in Dubai in 2021, it happened. Rohit Sharma was selected as KL Rahul's companion.

"I knew that my name wasn't going to come. I could feel that. It's not that you are going to be spoon-fed for everything," Dhawan said. Following the publication of the T20 World Cup team, he "never bothered to call anyone." "I didn't ask anyone why my name didn't come. They would have their own viewpoint on it even if I had asked, and I am going to share my own tale. It makes no sense and has no impact.

The worst blow was that Dhawan didn't phone anyone.

The worst disappointment was still to come. ODIs... The format that Dhawan had dominated since the 2013 Champions Trophy was about to go the way of the Test and T20I. Here are a few figures to illustrate that Dhawan losing his Test and T20I slots is insignificant in comparison to the unexpected ODI bolt from the blue: Dhawan was the Player of the tournament for having the most runs in the 2013 Champions Trophy. In the 2015 ODI World Cup, he was India's highest run-scorer, and in the 2017 Champions Trophy, he once again held the title of tournament's leading run-getter. His ICC ODI tournament average is an amazing 65. Among Indians, Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly have the second-highest opening partnership after Rohit Sharma.

Only two batsmen have ever amassed more runs than Dhawan in ODIs between the Champions Trophy in 2013 and his final ODI in 2022. He's teammates with Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. The fact that Dhawan wasn't even in the discussion for the home World Cup in 2023 is evidence of these fantastic statistics.

Wasn't he deserving of a better departure? "There is currently one way to view it that way. Another perspective is that Shubman Gill was also performing well in Tests and T20s at the time. I'm not in the picture as much now. I just attend ODIs. However, the other player is performing exceptionally well and is more frequently in front of the coaches. He said, "He is genuinely, organically, and organically establishing his own vibe or environment."

As such, Dhawan's ODI career did not experience a decline. He was released in 2022, and his average was 34. Although this is much less than his career average of over 45, it wouldn't be considered a terrible torrid form. It so happened that it coincided with the meteoric ascent of Ishan Kishan and Shubman Gill.

During the 2022 trip to Bangladesh, which was Dhawan's final in Indian colors, Ishan Kishan became the then-youngest player to ever hit a double century in an ODI.

"I was getting a lot of 50s, but I didn't get a 100; instead, I got a lot of 70s." When Ishan Kishan hit that double century, my gut told me that it might mark the conclusion of his career. I heard an inner voice. And it turned out that way. Then I recall that my pals came over to offer me, you know, that emotional support. They believed I would be depressed. However, I was having fun and unwinding.

Did any of his former teammates from the Indian squad contact him after he was dropped from the squad? "No, it doesn't happen that way," Dhawan said. "Perhaps Rahul (Dravid) Bhai sent me a message. It's quite common for people to be on tours or working since everyone's path is different. This isn't the first time I've been dropped or admitted, and we're used to it since we were under 14," Dhawan remarked, flipping the pages of his book.

His face soon had the biggest grin, and he exclaimed, "It is a very interesting book." You will have a beautiful grin on your face when you read that book.

Read Also: Shubman Gill’s Captaincy Under Fire? Transition Phase Explains Challenges, Critics Silenced

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