Shikhar Dhawan burst into the international arena in 2013 with a superb century on his Test debut against Australia. He went on to impress with his performance in the Champions Trophy in the same year.
Apart from his heroics on the field, the batsman has also become a style icon of the Indian team over the years.
From his trademark moustache, to the on-field shenanigans, the Delhi chap is undisputedly the ‘bindass’ guy of Indian cricket.
On his 33rd birthday, we try and reacquaint you with the multi-faceted opener of the Indian team.
Shikhar Dhawan The Style Icon
From the twirling of that trademark moustache, to his tiny braid, the ‘Shikhar Dhawan look’ has become a style statement. The ear piercings and tattoos just add to the swag.
Just like Virat Kohli, Gabbar aka Shikhar too loves getting inked. He got his first tattoo while he was 15, without telling his parents. Arjuna from Mahabharata, Lord Shiva, Baba Deep Singh, his wife Ayesha’s name and a Carpe Diem stencil are just a few designs he’s got inked.
And that Tenali Raman style ponytail completes the Shikhar Dhawan look!
Shikhar Dhawan The Cricketer
His ODI debut might have been a little late and not the best, but his Test debut was what really marked Shikhar Dhawan’s entry in international cricket. In the first innings of his maiden Test against Australia in 2013, the Delhi boy smashed 187 off 174 balls which remains the highest score by an Indian on Test debut.
And he carried that blazing form to the Champions Trophy in the same year where he scored two centuries in the first two matches.
He struggled with form in 2014, but came back strongly in the 2015 World Cup; scoring 412 runs at an average of 51.50 in the run to the semi-finals.
Shikhar Dhawan The Family Guy
Shikhar Dhawan met his stunning half-British, half-Bengali wife Ayesha Mukherjee, a former amateur boxer on Facebook through Harbhajan Singh. And their internet love blossomed into a ‘match made in heaven’.
Ayesha is 12 years older than him. She has two girls from a previous marriage – Rhea abd Aliyah. It’s quite well known that Shikhar absolutely adores the girls and is raising them as his own.
The couple got engaged in 2009, but Shikhar wanted to establish himself as a cricketer before getting married. Shikhar and Ayesha got hitched three years later. Their baby boy Zoraver was born soon after.
Spending time with family tops Dhawan’s priority list when he’s off the field. He often shares pictures and videos of his family and is very vocal about missing them when he’s away. Isn’t he just perfect?
(This story was first published on 5 December 2016 and has been reposted from The Quint's archives to mark Shikhar Dhawan’s 33rd birthday.)
(At The Quint, we question everything. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member today.)