After the retirement of Virendra Sehwag and Sachin Tendulkar, Team India was in search of a new opening pair. The search came to an end when Shikhar Dhawan paired up with Rohit Sharma. Later, these two became good friends and, to date, share a good relationship with each other. During an online conversation, Dhawan spoke out about his bond with Sharma. MS Dhoni, who was then the captain of Team India, helped them to form a partnership on and off the field.

Dhawan said that Rohit Sharma got early exposure in his international career while he was in domestic cricket. When Shikhar made his debut for Team India, he was more mature than before. By then, Rohit had also played several matches for India and gathered valuable experiences at the highest order of cricket. India was then in search of a new opening pair. Later, Mahendra Singh Dhoni formed a new opening pair with Shikhar Dhawan and Rohit Sharma.

As they were the opening combination, as a natural impact, they came to know more about each other. Dhawan further claimed that because of the good understanding between them, they played together for almost ten years as a formidable opening pair for Team India. The Rohit Sharma & Shikhar Dhawan opening partnership was one of India's most successful ODI duos, forming a prolific right-left combination that amassed over 5,148 runs together, ranking them fourth overall in ODI history and second for India after Tendulkar & Ganguly, known for explosive starts and big scores, including a 210-run stand against Pakistan in the 2018 Asia Cup.  

Read More: Watch: Rohit Sharma describes why Wriddhiman Saha was best wicketkeeper in India

Watch what Shikhar Dhawan said about his friendship with Rohit Sharma 

Shikhar Dhawan talks about his partnership with Rohit Sharma.🔥

The bond between two great personalities.❤️

pic.twitter.com/waJfqtugE2

— Rohan💫 (@rohann__45) December 18, 2025

"Rohit and I have always shared great understanding and friendship. He entered international cricket early, while I came in later as a more mature domestic player. When Dhoni bhai asked him to open, it marked the beginning of our partnership," Dhawan said in an interview with Revsportz.

"Our earlier grinding in our respective circuits gave us the confidence and maturity we brought to Team India. Building and sustaining that partnership for 10 years was a beautiful journey."

In a major development, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has attached assets worth ₹11.14 crore belonging to former Indian cricketers Shikhar Dhawan and Suresh Raina in connection with a money laundering investigation linked to the illegal betting platform 1xBet.

According to reports from The Times of India, the ED’s action comes as part of a wider crackdown on online betting and financial irregularities involving several celebrity endorsements. The assets in question have been temporarily seized under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

Investigation Details

1xBet, an offshore betting company, has been accused of defrauding users and evading taxes running into several crores. As per the report:

• Suresh Raina was questioned for over eight hours regarding his promotional association with the platform.
• Shikhar Dhawan, who had also collaborated with 1xBet for advertising campaigns, is yet to appear before the ED. His statement is expected to be recorded in the coming days.

The case highlights the government’s ongoing efforts to curb illegal betting and financial fraud, which have recently come under increased scrutiny following similar actions against multiple online platforms.

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Players’ Careers

Both Dhawan and Raina were key members of India’s white-ball cricket setup for over a decade:

• Shikhar Dhawan: 167 ODIs, 34 Tests, and 68 T20Is (Last appearance: ODI, 2022)
• Suresh Raina: 226 ODIs, 18 Tests, and 78 T20Is (Last appearance: ODI, 2018)

Dhawan, renowned for his explosive starts in ICC tournaments, last represented India in 2022, while Raina, one of India’s most consistent middle-order batters and a 2011 World Cup winner, retired from international cricket in 2020.

The ED’s move marks a significant step in the ongoing probe, with more developments expected in the coming weeks as the investigation widens into celebrity involvement with betting companies.

As the country went glowing with Diwali lights, the cricketing world was seen getting along with the jolly festival spirit of joy and togetherness. The festival seen cricketers along with their families and loved ones join the festivities, which was a scene filled with warmth, laughter, and lots of lights. Former Indian opener Shikhar Dhawan joined the celebrations and was seen going with his girlfriend, Sophie Shine.

Shikhar Dhawan and Sophie Shine, who live in Ireland, tweeted out a peek of their Diwali celebrations on October 20. The two looked beautiful as they celebrated the spirit of the festival, sitting together in traditional Indian dress. Their bright picture gained attention within seconds, and the comments section was soon filled with festive greetings and appreciations.

In his Instagram post, Dhawan posted a lovely Diwali message for his fans, stating, "Pyar aur roshni se bhari ye Diwali sabke jeevan mein khushiyan laaye!" (May this Diwali, with love and light, bring happiness into everyone's life). His post was absolutely iconic of the warmth of the festival as well as his approach to life post-cricket.

Shikhar Dhawan and Sophie Shine’s Growing Bond

This is not the first time Sophie Shine has been spotted embracing Indian culture with Dhawan. The couple last visited the Mahakaleshwar Temple in Ujjain a few weeks ago to attend the divine Bhasma Aarti of Lord Mahakal. Photos of the couple asking blessings from God went viral, and fans were appreciative of the couple's devotion and bond.

Shikhar Dhawan celebrating Diwali. 🪔 pic.twitter.com/43SFcncLKt

— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) October 20, 2025

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Shikhar Dhawan, who had retired from international cricket in August 2024, still remains one of India's most beloved erstwhile cricketers. A winner of the 2013 Champions Trophy as well as an Asia Cup champion twice, Dhawan played for India in 34 Tests, 167 ODIs, and 68 T20Is. Famous for his wide smile and aggressive batting, Dhawan's Diwali celebrations with Sophie Shine have again reminded everyone why he is still such a popular figure, on as well as off the field.

Dhanashree Verma, former wife of Indian cricketer Yuzvendra Chahal, has been making several accusations against him on the OTT reality show “Rise and Fall.” The couple got divorced on March 20, 2025, after the Bandra family court in Mumbai approved their joint petition for mutual consent. They were married in December 2020 but had been living separately since June 2022.

Amid the controversy, Chahal appeared in a funny reel with his close friend and former India opener Shikhar Dhawan. In the video, a voice in the background says, “We’ll get you married, son. Let me get married first.” The clip shows Dhawan acting as Chahal’s father, creating a light-hearted moment that quickly went viral on social media.

Chahal looks surprised in the video and asks, “Papa, are you married?” Dhawan’s girlfriend, Sophie Shine, then appears, and Dhawan jokes, “This is your third mother.” Chahal, shocked and holding his head, reacts in disbelief while Dhawan offers him something to eat. The fun exchange left fans amused and brought some humor amid the tense headlines surrounding Chahal’s personal life.

Dhawan’s New Chapter and Chahal’s Cricket Comeback

Shikhar Dhawan announced retirement from all forms of international and domestic cricket on August 24, 2024. He has since been busy with many Legends leagues across the globe. He became news recently by deciding against playing against Pakistan in World Championship of Legends in England, evidencing his hardline national approach.

Watch the video here

 

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Shikhar Dhawan (@shikhardofficial)

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Meanwhile, Yuzvendra Chahal is focusing on making his return to the Indian team. The IPL’s highest wicket-taker last played international cricket in August 2023. For Punjab Kings last season, he took 16 wickets in 14 matches at an average of 26.88. The 35-year-old now aims to perform well in domestic cricket and earn his comeback.

Indian star cricketer Shikhar Dhawan went to the Enforcement Directorate's office in connection with an online betting app case. ED summoned Dhawan to conduct a probe into the matter, which related to a betting app, which is not legal.

The allegation against Dhawan is that he might have been linked to the app through certain endorsements. According to media reports, ED wants to understand the mode of the possible links. Through questioning the 39-year-old, the investigators tried to find the relationship between Dhawan and the app named 1xBet.

It is known that the probe agency will record his statement under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) as part of this investigation. The agency is probing multiple such cases involving illegal betting apps that are alleged to have duped numerous people and investors of crores of rupees or to have evaded a huge amount of taxes. The Central Government of India has clarified their stance about betting apps or real-money-deal online games.

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Several other celebrities also under scanner 

Last month, ED had summoned former India international Suresh Raina to record his statement under provisions of the PMLA as well. After an initial investigation, it is understood that violations of multiple laws, including the Technology Act, the Foreign Exchange Management Act, and the PMLA, are possible. According to various media reports, celebrities like Vijay Deverakonda, Rana Daggubati, Prakash Raj, Harbhajan Singh, Urvashi Rautela, and Suresh Raina have been under the scanner by the ED for promoting such illegal apps. 

Now, if we discuss Dhawan's international career, the opener played 269 matches for Team India and scored 10,867 in total. As a major achievement, he won the Champions Trophy title for Men in Blue in 2014. 

Punjab Kings (PBKS) opener Prabhsimran Singh credited two former cricketers for helping him evolve as a more mature batsman. Singh has been with the Punjab-based franchise since 2019. For the first four seasons, from IPL 2019 to IPL 2022, he got to play only 6 matches. His luck started to shine when Shikhar Dhawan came as the captain in 2023. He assured Singh about regular chances. From then, the emerging keeper-batter started to grow his batting skills at a rapid pace. During a recent conversation, the 25-year-old opener said that it was Shikhar Dhawan who helped him a lot for a possible turnaround. In IPL 2023, Prabhsimran smacked his first IPL century, which was against Delhi Capitals. He concluded the season with an impressive 358 runs at a strike rate of over 150 after playing 14 matches.

In the previous Indian Premier League, as captain, he proved to be an integral part of PBKS at the top of the batting order. In 17 matches, the batter scored 549 runs at an average of 32.49 and a strike rate of 160.52.

"When Shikhar paaji was appointed as the captain two years ago, he gave me the surety that I will play all the games. In the same season, I scored a century. It was a turning point in my career," the PBKS opener said. 

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Yuvraj Singh also played a vital role

Prabhsimran also mentioned how another former India international, Yuvraj Singh, helped him to shape his playing style. Singh and some other well-known Indian talents used to practice under Yuvraj. Those training sessions proved effective for Prabhsimran Singh. 

"Yuvi paji has played a big role in my career. I always talk to him like a brother and not like a player. I, Abhishek, Naman Dhir, and Nehal Wadhera practice with him. We had 10-12 days of camp with him last time around. He knows very well on what exact things we have to work on. On a weekly basis, I get to speak with him. He has supported me a lot," he added. 

The former Indian opening batter, Shikhar Dhawan, during his playing days, used to get the spotlight for his attacking shots and flamboyant batting with an infectious personality. However, the time has changed. In a recent video that has gone viral, the southpaw has been seen with his girlfriend, Sophie Shine, who captured his attention with a heart-warming gesture.

Sophie has shared a reel of the former Indian batter on Instagram that has won the hearts of the fans. In the video, she welcomes Dhawan back home in a different manner, by singing the famous Bollywood song, Mera Piya Ghar Aaya O Ram Ji.’ The choice of the song was excellent, signaling the love and joyous moment.  

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In the caption of the video, Sophie has written ‘my Hindi lessons are coming in handy’ as the line does not show the personal touch, but also reveals the ongoing efforts of learning Hindi and embracing Indian traditions. For any non-Hindi speaking person, it’s a great attempt to try the language, as the fans have praised her efforts to adapt to the Indian culture.

Watch: Shikhar Dhawan teaches his wife Hindi language in hilarious conversation

The reel went viral rapidly with the fans, and the following showered their love and affection for the duo. Many admired Sophie’s effort to sign in the Indian language, while a few have pointed out how the simple occasion has displayed her wish to get mellowed into the Indian culture of Shikhar Dhawan.

 

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Soph (@sophieshine93)

Her gesture has stood out as an example for many in the cultural association with effort and affection. Dhwan continues to entertain his fans off the field, having retired from the international cricket of the Indian team. He didn’t feature in the 2025 season of the Indian Premier League and just played the World Championship of Legends (WCL) 2025 for the Blue Brigade in England.

Dhawan was the first to pull his name out of the contest against Pakistan during the Legends’ league, after the broken political relationship between the two neighboring countries. India didn’t play the group-stage game or the semi-final of the event against the Green Brigade.

The former left-handed opening batter, Shikhar Dhawan, has seen the funny side of the former Test captain and his long-time white-ball opening partner, Rohit Sharma, as he looked back at the moment when the latter gave that funny ‘garden mey ghumna nehi’ moment during the second Test of the series last year against England in Vizag.

With the stump mic turned on, the Nagpur-born was heard to tell the words about the players. Later, the veteran finally revealed that he had already suggested that the players give their best in the field, especially at the crucial juncture of the game. But seeing a few players not getting serious enough, Rohit Sharma threw the iconic dialogue at the Indian players. 

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‘Yeah, that one from the game (Test match in Vizag against England last year). Yeah, he was having a go at the boys. See, as a leader, it’s very important to give that free hand. But at the same time, you must keep the boundary. And Rohit keeps the balance very nicely. I love him as a leader.’ Shikhar Dhawan expressed during a recent podcast.

Watch: Shikhar Dhawan reveals Rohit Sharma’s fun side as Indian leader

Dhawan, who was present during the recent World Championship of Legends (WCL) 2025 competition in England, has smashed 2315 runs in 58 Test innings along with 6793 runs in 164 ODI innings at an average of 44.11 and a strike rate of 91.35, notching up 17 centuries and 39 half-centuries, highlighting Rohit’s leadership.

Shikhar Dhawan talks about Rohit Sharma's iconic 'Garden
wale boys' moment and his captaincy style.🔥

The bond between them is truly special ❤️

pic.twitter.com/kHoD8bLDr0

— Rohan💫 (@rohann__45) August 2, 2025

‘He is himself, and that’s how I know Rohit from the early days in his career. And I know him now as well. So, it’s beautiful to see him in his full character leading the side. And he does it very well. I am sure all the players love and respect him so much. And (funnily), it’s good that you shouldn’t hang around in the garden.’ Dhawan shed light.

The Delhi batter recently pulled himself out from the group-stage clash of the WCL 2025 against Pakistan due to the recent outrage against the arch-rivals. Even when the two sides meet each other in the semifinal clash, India cancelled the game due to the same reason as the Green Brigade qualified for the final, where they will face the South African champions.

After multiple underwhelming test performances, Sri Lanka was then far away from their top. India, the touring team, led by Virat Kohli, was oozing with confidence. Though, a cricket match can't be judged thoroughly with only pen and paper. So, the home team had a chance to shine. But they couldn't.

Team India was then on a different level. On July 29, 2017, India defeated Sri Lanka by 304 runs at Galle. Shikhar Dhawan was the man of the match for his first-innings 190-run knock, which was his career-best total in Test cricket.

Nuwan Pradeep's 6-wicket figure was overshadowed because of landmark performances by Dhawan and Cheteshwar Pujara. Both were rock solid in the first innings of the game, and both got 150-plus runs. Dhawan's 190 off 168 was well accompanied by Pujara's 153 off 265. Ajinkya Rahane and Hardik Pandya in the middle scored half a century each. Because of multiple individual brilliance, India posted 600 in the first phase of the match.

Read More: 'Only my son doesn't get...'- Washington Sundar's father makes explosive comments after ENG vs IND 4th Test

Virat Kohli also joined the party with a century 

Sri Lanka, in search of miracles, registered only 291. The situation got worse for them in the second innings when their skipper Rangana Herath and Asela Gunaratne did not come to bat because of injuries. Showing no mercy against the vulnerable Sri Lanka, Virat Kohli did not allow them to bat on a follow. In the process, Kohli himself smashed a ton. Sri Lanka needed 550 runs to save the match, which was by then out of their range, and India won the match by 304 runs. 

"I really enjoyed batting over here. I just watched the ball and backed my game. There is a very healthy competition for the opening spot on the side, and it keeps me on my toes," Dhawan said after the match. 

The Indian Champions are struggling in this tournament, losing both their matches and currently occupying the bottom position in the points table. They lost their last match by 4 wickets against the Australia Champions, failing to defend the target of 204 runs.

On the other hand, the England Champions have faced a difficult campaign, collecting just one point across four matches, and that came via a match that was called off because of rain.

IAC vs EDC Match Details

Date: July 27th, 2025

Time: 9:00 PM IST

Venue: Headingley, Leeds

Live Streaming: Fancode  

IAC vs EDC Weather Report

Clear weather

Also Read: WCL 2025: SAC vs AAC Prediction– Match 12, Who will win today?

Top Batters IAC vs EDC 

• Phil Mustard (EDC) - 101 runs in this tournament 

• Eoin Morgan (EDC) - 89 runs in this tournament

• Samit Patel (EDC) - 78 runs in this tournament 

Top Bowler IAC vs EDC

• Stuart Meaker (EDC) - 5 wickets in this tournament 

• Piyush Chawla (IAC) - 5 wickets in this tournament

• Ajmal Shahzad (EDC) - 3 wickets in this tournament

IAC vs EDC Recent Performance

IAC vs EDC Today Match Prediction Scenarios

Scenario 1- If EDC bats first

• First Innings score prediction- EDC is expected to score 160-170 runs

• Result prediction- IAC will win the match by 5 Wickets.

Scenario 2- If IAC bats first

• First Innings score prediction- IAC is expected to score 200-210 runs.

• Result prediction- IAC will win the match by 20-30 Runs

IAC vs EDC Predicted Playing XI

England Champions (AAC) Playing XI 

Phil Mustard (wk), Ian Bell, Eoin Morgan (c), Moeen Ali, Ravi Bopara, Tim Ambrose, Samit Patel, Liam Plunkett, Ajmal Shahzad, Stuart Meaker, Dimitri Mascarenhas.

India Champions (SAC) Playing XI

Robin Uthappa (wk), Shikhar Dhawan, Suresh Raina, Ambati Rayudu, Yuvraj Singh (c), Yusuf Pathan, Irfan Pathan, Harbhajan Singh, Piyush Chawla, Vinay Kumar, Siddarth Kaul.

IAC vs EDC Complete Squad

England Champions -

Phil Mustard (wk), Ian Bell, Eoin Morgan (c), Moeen Ali, Ravi Bopara, Tim Ambrose, Samit Patel, Liam Plunkett, Ajmal Shahzad, Stuart Meaker, Dimitri Mascarenhas, Sir Alastair Cook, Chris Tremlett, Ryan Sidebottom, James Vince, Usman Afzaal

India Champions -

Robin Uthappa (wk), Shikhar Dhawan, Suresh Raina, Ambati Rayudu, Yuvraj Singh (c), Yusuf Pathan, Irfan Pathan, Harbhajan Singh, Piyush Chawla, Vinay Kumar, Siddarth Kaul, Stuart Binny, Varun Aaron, Pawan Negi, Gurkeerat Singh Mann, Abhimanyu Mithun

IAC vs EDC Today Match Prediction, Who Will Win the Match?

India Champions To win

We predict that India Champions will be winning this WCL 2025 match. The likes of Suresh Raina, Robin Uthappa and Piyush Chawla will be key players to watch out for.