Shikhar Dhawan, the former India opener, has recently named Rohit Sharma as his favorite opening partner. Dhawan expressed that Sharma is the batsman he has most enjoyed partnering with at the top of the order throughout his international career.
Dhawan and Sharma formed a formidable opening pair for India over several years, starting their partnership in the 2013 Champions Trophy under MS Dhoni’s captaincy. Together, they have accumulated 5148 runs in 115 ODIs, boasting an average of 45.55. Their collaboration includes 18 century stands and 15 half-century partnerships, making them one of the most successful opening pairs in Indian ODI history. This pair is ranked as the fourth most prolific opening combination for India in the ODI format.
Shikhar Dhawan names Rohit Sharma as his favorite opening partner
During a chat with Star Sports, Dhawan was asked about his favourite opening partner. The left-hander had no hesitation in saying that Rohit Sharma is his favorite opening partner. He added that Rohit has been his opening partner for a long time and he shares a good bond with him.
“My favourite opening partner is Rohit. Rohit ke saath to maine yaar 8–10 saal opening kari hai. Rohit ke saath mera bond bhi bahut strong hai (I have opened with Rohit for 8-10 years. I have a strong bond with Rohit. He is a gem of a person. Uske saath bohot opening kari hai (I have opened a lot with him),” Dhawan said in a video uploaded by Star Sports on X (formerly Twitter).
Dhawan also remembered the time when he used to irritate Rohit Sharma by asking weird questions.
“Sarr bhi khaya hai (I have irritated him as well). I am sure usne interview he has told this a no. of times in the interview as well. He used to like when I sang a song. He also used to sing 2-3 lines and then used to smile. He always used to be relaxed,” Dhawan added in the video.
Shikhar Dhawan’s numbers in ODIs
Shikhar Dhawan is currently running out of the Indian team, although he is yet to announce his retirement from international cricket. The 38-year-old has played 34 Tests, 167 ODIs, and 68 T20Is for India. He was a mainstay in India’s ODI line-up and won India a no. of games.
In 167 ODIs, Dhawan has scored 6793 runs at an average of 44.11 and a strike rate of 91.35. He smashed 17 hundreds and 39 fifties in his ODI career. He had a great record in ICC tournaments and performed exceptionally well in the 2015 ODI World Cup and the 2013 Champions Trophy.
