Shikhar Dhawan Announces Retirement and Goes Viral with Sophie Shine

Photo : Screenshot / Instagram / @shikhardofficial

Shikhar Dhawan, the former Indian cricketer, has officially announced his retirement from all forms of cricket on August 24, 2024. Dhawan, known for his iconic batting skills and cheerful personality, has made headlines once again, but this time, not for his cricketing achievements. The 38-year-old cricketer went viral after posting a fun and playful Instagram reel with his rumoured girlfriend, Sophie Shine.

In the video, Shikhar Dhawan is seen wearing a traditional Punjabi outfit, adding a touch of his signature style. He and Sophie Shine shared a funny moment in the reel that caught the attention of fans all over social media. Dhawan, with his usual humour, captioned the video with his famous line, “Gabbar is back,” which quickly made the reel even more popular.

In the video, Sophie begins by saying, “Guruji, mujhe yaha se jaane ka man nahi kar raha,” which translates to "Guruji, I don’t feel like leaving from here." Dhawan responds by asking, “Kyu?” (Why?), to which Sophie replies, “Mujhe aapke paas rehna hai,” meaning "I want to stay with you." Dhawan, with his characteristic wit, jokingly says, “Ghar mein kaam karti hogi maa,” which translates to "Your mother must be doing the chores at home." The light-hearted conversation between the two has left fans laughing and commenting on how natural their chemistry seems.

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The video went viral, and it stirred up more curiosity around Shikhar Dhawan’s personal life, especially after the two were spotted together during the ICC Champions Trophy in 2025. Dhawan, during an event, was asked about his dating life, to which he openly admitted, "Yes, I have moved on… it was a learning curve for me." When further asked if he was ready for love again, Dhawan replied with a smile, “I am always in love!” His playful and open nature about moving on has sparked a lot of positive attention from fans and media alike.

As for Sophie Shine, she is an Irish product consultant with a degree in Marketing and Management from the Limerick Institute of Technology. Sophie currently holds the position of Second Vice President at Northern Trust Corporation in Abu Dhabi.

Dhawan, who announced his retirement earlier this year, had a successful career in international cricket. He played in 269 international matches and scored 10,867 runs, maintaining an impressive average of 40.39. His career included 24 centuries and 55 half-centuries. In the Indian Premier League (IPL), Dhawan featured in 222 matches, scoring 6,768 runs, including two centuries and 51 fifties. He retired from the national team after his final ODI match against Bangladesh on December 10, 2022, in Chattogram.

Dhawan’s career began in 2010 when he made his debut for India in an ODI against Australia in Visakhapatnam. He has represented the national team in all three formats of the game. Now, as he retires, Dhawan says he is leaving the scene content with his journey, having contributed greatly to Indian cricket over the years.