IPL 2024: Has Shikhar Dhawan Played His Last Match in Indian Premier League?

With the season of Indian Premier League approaching a close, talks of some of the veterans returning for the next edition has always been the talking point among experts and fans.

Dinesh Karthik has revealed that he has played his last match in the lucrative league, while there is also never-ending speculation regarding the future of Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who has often brushed aside retirement talks.

Plus, there is also talks of current Indian captain Rohit Sharma's next step after being replaced as captain of Mumbai Indians. Then there is also, David Warner, who is set to retire from international cricket after the T20 World Cup 2024.

Apart from the aforementioned names, several other players who have been part of the IPL since the very first season or the early years could also have played their last season in 2024.

Whether Rohit calls it quits is a question for another day, but his former opening partner in the Indian team, Shikhar Dhawan has admitted that he has entered a phase of transition and will soon stand on the threshold of a new chapter in his life.

The 38-year-old has been away from the international circuit for a while now, as he last donned the Blue Jersey in an international match in December 2022.

While he continues to fall down the pecking order in the Indian team, he has still been a regular face in the IPL. But after Punjab Kings crashed out of this season, a section of social media users have been speculating about the future of the seasoned batter.

Has Shikhar Dhawan played his last IPL match?

With gossip about his retirement increasing, Dhawan said that he is taking things as they come, showing how he has a calm and composed head on his shoulders. But the southpaw hinted that he may have played his match.

"I am also going through a transition 'Jahan Meri Cricket Vishram Pe Aayegi' and a new chapter in my life will start. You only have a certain age till you can play. It could be one year more, two years more, or xyz for me," Dhawan said in an interview with ANI.

Will Dhawan feature in IPL 2025?

Dhawan, who has been part of the IPL right since it's inception in 2008, has had stints at several clubs in his 17-year career in the league. He had one year stints with Delhi Capitals and Mumbai Indians in the first two seasons before spending two seasons at Deccan Chargers.

The left-handed opener came into prominence only during his stint with Sunrisers Hyderabad and Delhi Capitals before his move to Punjab Kings in the 2022 Mega Auction, where he was roped in for Rs 8.25 Crore.

He was even appointed captain in his very first season at the Punjab side, for whom he has made valuable contributions in the past two seasons. However, in 2024 edition, he suffered a shoulder injury and missed most part of the season.

Despite his consistent run with the bat, he is unlikely to be retained by PBKS before the IPL 2025 Mega Auction, which is set to be held in the end of the year or before the next edition. Even in the auction, he may not fetch such a big fee or even have any takers.

The veteran opener has established himself as one of the most decorated batters in the history of the cash-rich league. Dhawan, who is the first man to hit back-to-back hundreds in the IPL, is the second-highest run-getter with a whopping tally of 6769 runs. But his IPL future still remains unclear.