‘Why fikar when I have Shikhar’: Rohit Sharma opens up on special bond with Dhawan

Former India captain Rohit Sharma opened up about his special bond with Shikhar Dhawan, recalling their pressure-free opening partnership and years of sharing victories, failures and the dressing room. Rohit said Dhawan would take the pressure and never let it reach him.

Mumbai: Former Indian cricket team captain Rohit Sharma opened up about his special bond with former opening partner Shikhar Dhawan.

He recalled how the two shared the dressing room, victories, failures and pressure during their cricketing careers.

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Shikhar Dhawan appeared as a guest on ‘Family Full House with Rohit Sharma’, where Rohit introduced his longtime friend by reminiscing about their partnership and friendship that began when they were young and playing at the competitive level.

Rohit began the episode by joking about feeling unusually fresh because someone close to him was about to arrive.

“Main bhi bohot fresh lag raha hoon kyunki mera jigri dost aa raha hai, bhai.”

(I am also looking very fresh because my close friend, my brother, is coming)

He then asked the audience about the meaning of friendship before describing his own take on what makes a true friend.

“Dost aisa ho jise restaurant mein bill pay karte waqt suddenly important call aa jaata hai, aur woh nikal leta hai. Aaj kal dost meme share karte hain, reel bhi share karte hain, lekin abhi mera ek aisa dost aa raha hai jiske saath maine dressing room share kiya hai, victory share ki hai, failure share kiya hai, pressure share kiya hai, aur opening share ki hai.”

(A friend should be someone who suddenly gets an important call while paying the bill at a restaurant and leaves. These days, friends share memes and reels, but the friend who is coming today is someone with whom I have shared the dressing room, victories, failures, pressure and opening)

Rohit went on to explain why his equation with Shikhar Dhawan was different from his friendships with other teammates. He recalled that the two had started playing together at a young age and said their opening partnership allowed him to play without carrying the same pressure.

“Sab ke saath dosti, friendship sab kuch hoti hai, but yeh jo aa raha hai na, uske saath thodi alag bonding rahi hai meri. Kyunki humne bade hi chhoti umar mein ek saath khelna shuru kiya tha, competitive level pe. Kyunki hamari jo partnership rahi hai, woh bilkul tension free rahi hai. Main hamesha yahi sochta tha ki jab uske saath khelunga, toh mera pressure poora nikal jayega, kyunki woh pressure leta tha aur mere pe aane nahi deta tha. Iss hi liye main hamesha sochta hoon ki, ‘Why fikar when I have Shikhar.’”

(Everyone has friendship and everything with everyone, but the person who is coming has had a slightly different bond with me. Because we started playing together at a very young age, at the competitive level. Because our partnership was completely tension-free. I always used to think that when I play with him, all my pressure will go away, because he would take the pressure and would not let it come to me. That is why I always think, ‘Why worry when I have Shikhar)

For the uninitiated, Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan went on to form one of India’s most recognisable opening combinations across formats.