In a heartfelt reflection on Shikhar Dhawan's career his childhood coach Madan Sharma in an exclusive interview with ETV Bharat’ Surabhi Gupta shared his sentiments and said that it could have been a better retirement if he had played the 2023 World Cup.
This came after Dhawan revealed his decision to retire from international as well as domestic cricket through a social media post. The left-handed batter represented India in 34 Tests, 167 ODIs, and 68 T20Is from 2010 to 2022.
"I am sad and also happy at the same time," childhood coach Madan Sharma confessed. "I am happy because his performance was commendable for the team when he was part of Team India. I feel it would have been a better retirement if he had played in the 2023 World Cup."
“I only had one dream and that was to play for India and I even achieved that. I am thankful for so many people who contributed to my journey. First of all my family. My childhood coach Late Tarak Sinha, and Madan Sharma under whose guidance I learnt the basics of the game," Dhawan said.
As I close this chapter of my cricketing journey, I carry with me countless memories and gratitude. Thank you for the love and support! Jai Hind! 🇮🇳 pic.twitter.com/QKxRH55Lgx
— Shikhar Dhawan (@SDhawan25) August 24, 2024
Highlighting the highs and lows of Dhawan's journey from a young talent to a celebrated international cricketer, childhood coach Madan Sharma said that his performance was commendable for the team when he was part of Team India.
Sharma's association with Dhawan began at a young age when the cricketer used to go to school in his childhood.
"He came to me at the age of 12 for practice. I was a coach in the same school where he studied. He had the passion, he felt the pain of losing matches but he had the hunger for runs. We saw his potential and believed he had the calibre to succeed." The coach recalled.
Dhawan’s journey through the ranks was marked by steady progress. Sharma described his early days in Delhi's state-level tournaments and his performances in the Under-16 and Under-19 categories.
"He played in the Asia Cup and gradually made his way up. The rest of Shikhar Dhawan’s story is well-known." Sharma added.
When asked about Shikhar Dhawan's test debut match against Australia, Sharma said that it was a dream come true for the experienced cricketer.
"In 2013, it was a fantastic debut. He scored the world’s fastest century in his first test match against Australia. No one expected this especially considering he had struggled in the 2010 ODI series. It was a dream come true for him, fulfilling his ambition of playing for India," he added.
Dhawan’s early career was marked by challenges. He made his ODI debut on October 20, 2010, against Australia in Visakhapatnam. Unfortunately, the debut was forgettable as Dhawan was dismissed for a duck by Clint McKay. The initial phase of his career was inconsistent as he struggled to translate his domestic success into international performance. However, he made steady progress after that and became a key player in the Indian batting unit in the coming years.
