Shikhar Dhawan and Virat Kohli have long been seen as brothers-in-arms, two Delhi boys who carried the energy of their city into Indian cricket. With their Punjabi swagger, fearless stroke play and shared dominance on the international stage, they looked inseparable to the outside world.
Yet, as Shikhar Dhawan now admits, their relationship was not always smooth sailing. Like every close friendship in sport, there were moments when tempers flared and emotions got the better of them.
In a candid conversation on a podcast, Shikhar Dhawan recalled an incident during a warm-up football session where the intensity went too far. A shoulder tackle between him and Virat Kohli quickly turned heated, leaving both of them angry for a brief moment. The competitive fire that made them great teammates sometimes spilled over and eventually, football was dropped from warm-ups because such flare-ups became common.
Shikhar Dhawan went on to share another incident that revealed how personal frustrations can affect even the strongest bonds. During the IPL season which was played in South Africa, he was run out while batting with Virat Kohli. Already weighed down by disappointment over an IPL auction that hadn’t gone well, the dismissal pushed him over the edge. He admitted that he lost his cool, vented his anger and even cursed in frustration.
Yet, he also pointed out that Virat Kohli knew it wasn’t directed personally at him. For Shikhar Dhawan, such clashes were just part of cricket, where emotions run high and players, being human, sometimes let it all out.
Looking back, Shikhar Dhawan was quick to emphasise that these moments never dented their understanding. They both knew the passion came from wanting to win and give their best. And that’s what kept their bond intact through the ups and downs of international cricket.
The former opener also reflected warmly on the first time he met Virat Kohli, then a 16-year-old who appeared soft-spoken off the field but fiercely hungry for runs once he picked up a bat. Dhawan remembered how Kohli’s life took a turn after the loss of his father during a Ranji Trophy game in 2006. The young batter, despite his grief, walked out to play that very day and scored 95, a knock that revealed his extraordinary resolve. Dhawan believes that tragic moment intensified Kohli’s seriousness, fueling the determination that would later define his career.
Today, Shikhar Dhawan has moved on from international cricket into entrepreneurship, while Virat Kohli continues to shine in ODIs and the IPL. But for Dhawan, their shared memories of fights, laughter and resilience remain proof that true friendships in sport endure far beyond the field.
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