NEW DELHI: Former Indian opener Shikhar Dhawan has made a startling revelation about his painful exit from the Indian Test team in 2016, disclosing that he batted with a broken arm during a Test match against New Zealand—only to be dropped immediately afterward.
In a candid interview, Dhawan revisited the emotional and physical toll of what he described as the “most difficult phase” of his cricketing career.
“We had a Test match in Kolkata, against New Zealand,” Dhawan recalled. “First innings I got out, second innings I went out and got hit by a ball by Trent Boult—it broke my arm.”
Despite the injury, Dhawan said he chose to play on, fearing that sitting out would cost him his place in the side. “I knew that if I choose to sit out of that innings, I would be out of that team. So I decided no, I’m going to play, I’m going to see out the innings. I’m dead either way, so might as well die completely on the pitch,” he said. “I played with a broken arm, got out on 15–20 runs, and after that I was out of the Test team.”
A Promising Start, Followed by Inconsistencies
Dhawan burst onto the Test scene with a spectacular 187 on debut against Australia in Mohali in 2013. However, his red-ball journey was riddled with inconsistent performances. By the time of the 2016 series against New Zealand, he was under immense pressure, having gone 13 Test innings without a century.
“I was really desperate. I knew that if I don’t score runs, I would be out of the team… I worked with a desperate energy,” Dhawan admitted.
That desperation, he reflected, affected his mindset. “I was cribbing a little. I did put in a lot of work, but I worked with a desperate energy. That’s why I didn’t get the results,” he added.
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A Comeback Fueled by Self-Realization
After being dropped post-2016, Dhawan made a memorable comeback to the Test side a year later, smashing 190 against Sri Lanka in Galle. He followed that up with two more centuries, but his Test stint ultimately ended after the 2018 England tour.
Looking back, Dhawan said his perspective on success and failure changed over time.
“I asked myself—what is most important for me in life? Happiness is most important, that I stay happy,” he said. “This was my dream, and I lived out my dream, set a world record, and I knew this would never stop, it would keep going. The race will never stop, someone will always be there.”
“I started work on myself internally. I’ll be happy. If I have to be in the Indian team, the Indian team will come to me itself.”
Legacy and Limited-Overs Brilliance
While his Test career ended with 2,315 runs at an average of 40.61, including seven centuries in 34 matches, Dhawan carved a niche for himself as one of India’s most consistent performers in limited-overs cricket.
His stellar run in tournaments like the 2017 ICC Champions Trophy cemented his legacy as a match-winner who combined flair with resilience—on and off the field.
