'Diwali party night, with Veeru bhai', Shikhar Dhawan shares candid moments with Virender Sehwag- See Pic

Former India openers Shikhar Dhawan and Virender Sehwag enjoyed a Diwali party together, reflecting on their successful careers, while Dhawan expressed support for Test skipper Rohit Sharma, emphasizing the importance of team connection over the pressure of wins and losses.

New Delhi: Former India openers Shikhar Dhawan and Virender Sehwag shared a light-hearted moment at a recent Diwali party, dressed in matching black ethnic outfits as they posed together ahead of the festival.

“Diwali party night, with Veeru bhai,” wrote Dhawan on Instagram.

Virender Sehwag and Shikhar Dhawan were among India’s most successful opening pairs. Sehwag scored 17,253 runs in 374 matches across all formats, including 38 centuries and 72 fifties, and remains the only Indian to score two triple centuries in Test cricket. The 46-year-old was also a key player in India’s World Cup-winning teams in 2007 (T20I) and 2011 (ODI).

Shikhar Dhawan, on the other hand, has accumulated 10,867 runs in 269 matches across formats, with 24 centuries and 55 half-centuries. He was a vital part of India’s victorious 2013 Champions Trophy campaign.

Both Sehwag and Dhawan belong to an elite group of players with over 1,000 runs in ICC tournaments and have also shared the unique experience of captaining the Punjab team in the Indian Premier League (IPL).

Shikhar Dhawan backed India’s Test skipper Rohit Sharma after India’s series defeat against New Zealand. “The pressure you all talk about isn’t something we feel. While there is pressure in the game, we don’t dwell on losses or wins; that’s part of the game. I feel that’s neither a fair nor a practical approach toward anything,” he told to India Today.

“As a cricketer, we don’t think that way. And Rohit is a great leader; it’s not just about winning and losing. There’s a bond, the team’s connection with its leader, and how much they look up to him,” he added.