In the colourful and competitive world of cricket, nicknames often reflect a player’s personality, style, or on-field demeanour. One of the most captivating and well-known nicknames in Indian cricket is ‘Gabbar’, belonging to Shikhar Dhawan. But how did this affable cricketer come to be associated with one of Bollywood’s most iconic villains?
During a domestic match, Shikhar Dhawan was dubbed ‘Gabbar’ by his Delhi teammates. His aggressive batting style and his fearless attitude on the field reminded his teammates of Gabbar Singh’s dominance. The name stuck, and Dhawan’s cricketing exploits continued to draw parallels with the cinematic icon’s larger-than-life persona.
Why is Shikhar Dhawan called Gabbar?
Dhawan himself revealed why the star batter is known as ‘Gabbar’ across the cricketing world. In an exclusive interview with SportsTak, Dhawan said, “I was playing in the Ranji Trophy and was sitting at silly point. When the other team has a big partnership then the players tend to get down.
“When I was sitting, I used to shout, ‘Bahut yaarana hai suar ke bacchon’ and everyone used to burst out laughing. Our coach (Vijay) kept my name Gabbar from there only. From there, the name became so famous that cricket fans all over the world now call me Gabbar only,” he added.
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