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Rohit Sharma, India's Test and ODI captain, paid a heartfelt tribute to Shikhar Dhawan on his retirement from international and domestic cricket.

Rohit, who shared a successful opening partnership with Dhawan, expressed gratitude for the left-hander's presence, making his own cricketing journey easier.

The duo's impressive record includes 5148 runs in international cricket, the fourth-highest among all opening pairs. On Instagram, Sharma affectionately referred to Dhawan as the 'ultimate jatt', acknowledging his vibrant personality both on and off the field.

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Rohit cherished the enduring memories they created together as teammates in the Indian cricket team.

"From sharing rooms to sharing lifetime memories on the field. You always made my job easier from the other end. THE ULTIMATE JATT," Rohit wrote in a post on X on Sunday.

The formidable duo of Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan once wreaked havoc on bowling attacks, unleashing their aggressive batting style to set stadiums alight.

Their impressive partnership tally of 5148 runs ranks fourth among all opening pairs, trailing only the iconic combinations of Ganguly-Tendulkar, Gilchrist-Hayden, and Greenidge-Haynes.

The duo's explosive batting was further exemplified by their 10 century partnerships in ODIs, the second-highest by any opening pair, surpassed only by the legendary Tendulkar-Ganguly duo, who achieved 21 century stands.

Shikhar Dhawan, who recently announced his retirement on August 24, had an illustrious international career spanning 269 games for India, amassing 10,867 runs at a commendable average of nearly 40.

'Gabbar', content with his career achievements, called time on his playing days, fulfilling his childhood dream of representing India and leaving a lasting legacy in the cricketing world.

“As I close this chapter of my cricketing journey, I carry with me countless memories and gratitude. Thank you for the love and support! Jai Hind!” Dhawan said in a post on his social media accounts.

As India's primary opener in the previous decade, Dhawan brought stability to the top order across all formats. While he had a respectable record in Tests (2315 runs at 40.61) and T20Is (1759 runs at 27.92), he truly excelled in ODIs, scoring 6793 runs at an impressive average of 44.11.

Dhawan played a vital role in anchoring the top order following the departure of Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir in the early 2010s, leaving a lasting impact on Indian cricket.