Respect in retrospect: assessing Shikhar Dhawan’s standing among India’s openers Premium

India's iconic cricket openers, from Gavaskar to Dhawan, shaped partnerships and legacies in Tests and ODIs.

India’s opening gambit in cricket is often seen as the hallowed preserve of four iconic batters. In Tests, there is no escaping the greatness of Sunil Gavaskar and the audacity of Virender Sehwag. And in limited-overs cricket, specifically ODIs, look no further than the genius of Sachin Tendulkar and the voracious run-appetite of Rohit Sharma.

However, in a team-sport, even if individuals gain a massive halo and inspire youngsters to follow in their footsteps, there is no escaping the need for a good partner. Gavaskar was blessed to have the obduracy of Chetan Chauhan, Aunshuman Gaekwad and fleetingly Arun Lal. Towards the end of his storied career, the Mumbaikar had K. Srikkanth as his aggressive counter.

Sehwag initially had Aakash Chopra and later the celebrated Gautam Gambhir, truly a Delhi troika with varying shades in batsmanship and temperament. Tendulkar, meanwhile, forged a formidable alliance with Sourav Ganguly, and later found in Sehwag, a kindred spirit. And for Rohit, look no further than Shikhar Dhawan. The latter slotted into that cherished ‘southpaw opener’ zone of ODIs, an area lit up by the finesse of Ganguly and the fiery blade of Adam Gilchrist.

For a generation of fans, the West Indian duo of Gordon Greenidge and Desmond Haynes was the go-to combination when it came to enduring openers, be it Tests or ODIs. Subsequently every pair that walked out, in whites or coloured attire, across the cricketing globe, felt the pressure of comparison. Still, Tendulkar and Ganguly, and their successors Rohit and Dhawan carved a space unique for themselves in ODIs.

Within this quartet of Indian batters, Dhawan perhaps never got the attention he deserved. Tendulkar was always the maestro, Ganguly, a feisty skipper, and both could bowl too, and that further embellished their respective legacies. At the other end of the spectrum, Rohit has always revealed a hunger for ‘Daddy Hundreds’, the kind that deflated rivals and set off Diwali fireworks in the stands; additionally, he is an astute captain.

Dhawan, who retired last Saturday (August 24) through a sweet video posted on his social media platforms, was perhaps seen as a lesser star, much like S. Venkataraghavan among the famous spin-quartet of yore. An individual shadowed by others isn’t new to cricket. The legendary Rahul Dravid had the dazzling brilliance of Tendulkar to contend with; equally, in vital partnerships, it was V.V.S. Laxman, who mostly walked away with the plaudits. Yet, Dravid found his path, formed his legacy and remains a bulwark in the batting pantheon.

Dhawan took his time to graduate to the senior India colours even if he was an outstanding under-19 player, soon expected to rub shoulders with M.S. Dhoni and the rest. The left-hander first turned out for India in 2010. It was an ODI at Visakhapatnam against the visiting Aussies. The salty air over the coastal metropolis was tinged with expectations and Dhoni fuelled it further by praising the imminent debutant Dhawan.