Shikhar Dhawan joins Legends League Cricket

Former Indian opening batter Shikhar Dhawan recently announced his retirement from all forms of cricket. Just a few days after his retirement announcement, Dhawan signed up for the Legends League Cricket (LLC). 

Last Saturday (August 24), the 38-year-old Shikhar Dhawan officially announced his retirement from the game. With his official retirement from the game, the left-handed opening batter now can play outside the Indian Premier League (IPL). 

Dhawan has now made himself available for the Legends League Cricket (LLC). In his statement, the former Indian opening batter claimed that his body was still demanding the game, and he wanted to regroup with his cricketing friends through the LLC.

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Ideal progression after my retirement: Shikhar Dhawan on joining the Legends League Cricket

According to the PTI news agency, Dhawan stated, “Taking on this new chapter with Legends League Cricket feels like the ideal progression after my retirement. My body is still conditioned for the demands of the game, and while I’m at ease with my decision, cricket is an inseparable part of who I am, it will never go out of me. I’m eager to regroup with my cricketing friends and continue to entertain my fans as we create new memories together.” 

Legends League Cricket was founded in 2021. Several popular international cricketers like Chris Gayle, Gautam Gambhir, Shane Watson, Aaron Finch, Martin Guptill, Hashim Amla, etc. have joined this league after retiring from the game. The upcoming LLC season has been scheduled to begin in September 2024. 

Shikhar Dhawan's successful cricket career

Shikhar Dhawan made his international cricket debut in October 2010 through an ODI match against Australia at Visakhapatnam. In 2011, he made his T20I debut. During the 2013 Mohali Test against Australia, Dhawan made his Test debut with 187 runs in India’s first innings. 

Dhawan played 34 Tests, 167 ODIs, and 68 T20Is, where the left-handed batter scored 2315, 6793, and 1759 runs, respectively. His last international match was the 2022 Chattogram ODI against Bangladesh. 

Dhawan was the Player of the Tournament during India’s ICC Champions Trophy 2013 victory, where he finished as the leading run-scorer with 363 runs in five games. His batting average in that tournament was 90.75, where he scored two centuries and one half-century.  

Dhawan was also the leading run-scorer (338 runs) in the ICC Champions Trophy 2017, where India finished as the runners-up after losing against Pakistan in the final. 

Meanwhile, Dhawan is the second-most run-scorer in IPL history, as the left-handed batter scored 6769 runs in 222 IPL matches. He hit two centuries and 51 half-centuries in his IPL career. He won an IPL title for Sunrisers Hyderabad. 

Dhawan has scored 9797 runs in 334 T20 matches, including two centuries and 70 half-centuries.