Shikhar Dhawan names the toughest bowler he has faced in his career

Former Indian opener Shikhar Dhawan has opened up on the toughest bowlers he has faced in his international cricket career. Upon being asked about the toughest bowler, the first name that came to Shikhar Dhawan’s mind was Dale Steyn. The Indian cricket opener lauded Steyn for his rare combination of raw pace, skill, and aggression.  

"Dale Steyn was always a tough one — he had raw pace, aggression, skill, and that fierce look!" Dhawan told IANS.

Dhawan also took James Anderson’s name as a fierce opponent owing to his skillset and verbal banters he has with the opposition batters. Shikhar Dhawan played his last international cricket game in an ODI against Bangladesh on 10th December 2022. In his last ODI series, he registered scores of 7, 8, and 3 following which he was dropped from the team.

He finished his ODI career with 6793 runs in 167 ODIs at an average of 44.11 and a strike rate of 91.35. Besides, he featured in 34 Tests for India, scoring 2315 runs, including seven hundreds and five half-centuries. As for T20Is, Dhawan amassed 1759 runs in 68 ODIs, at a strike rate of 126. 

Shikhar Dhawan boasts of a decorated Indian Premier League career. He is the third-highest run-getter in the tournament only behind the likes of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. Dhawan has scored 6769 runs in 222 matches in the tournament, averaging 35.26. He has hit 52 half-centuries and two centuries in his Indian Premier League career. 

Shikhar Dhawan first grabbed eyeballs with his phenomenal performance in the 2004 Under-19 World Cup. He was the highest run-getter with 505 runs in seven innings at an average of 84.6, including three centuries. 

"Zoravar is my son and a very special part of my life”- Shikhar Dhawan

Earlier, in an interview with IANS, Shikhar Dhawan opened up on his bond with his son Zoravar. Dhawan and his wife were granted a legal separation in 2023 and since then, he hasn’t been able to meet his son despite the court granting him visitation rights and allowing video calls for a reasonable period. Reportedly, his ex-wife Aesha Mukherjee has restricted contact between Dhawan and his son. 

"He's my son and a very special part of my life. Some of my most cherished memories have been with him, especially during the times he joined me on tours. Watching him grow, sharing laughs, and having those quiet father-son moments amidst the chaos of cricket is something that is also mentioned in the book. He's a part of my journey, and this book is as much about those personal chapters as it is about cricket."