Shikhar Dhawan

When Shikhar Dhawan first made noise in Indian cricket, he was a curly-haired Delhi dasher with a hunger for big scores but an unrefined approach. His early ODI outings in 2010-11 barely registered, and he toiled in domestic cricket for years, often overlooked for a national spot. By his late twenties, though, Dhawan had transformed into a composed yet explosive opener, capped by a stunning Test debut against Australia in Mohali in 2013, where he smashed 187 from 174 balls, the fastest century by a debutant in Test history. That innings announced the assured, moustache-twirling presence who would become a linchpin of India's white-ball setup.

His peak came at ICC tournaments, where he was leading run-scorer at both the 2013 and 2017 Champions Trophies and part of the side that lifted the 2013 title. With a penchant for punching through the covers and pulling short balls with ferocity, Dhawan amassed over 6,700 ODI runs at an average close to 44, alongside more than 1,700 runs in T20Is. He thrived in the IPL too, captaining Punjab Kings late in his career and retiring as one of the league's most prolific run-scorers. Injuries and form swings eventually pushed him out of the national side, and he announced his retirement from international cricket in 2024, his fearless approach and infectious energy fondly remembered.