Hailing from Mandi, Himachal Pradesh, Rishi Dhawan made his first-class debut at a tender age of 19. He is known for subtle variations in his bowling and is also preferred by teams in limited-overs cricket. Dhawan can also be a handy lower-order batsman, with a solid batting average in domestic cricket. Dhawan was picked in the IPL by Punjab Kings way back in 2008, but it took him until 2013 to get a game in the competition and this when he was with Mumbai Indians. Dhawan played six games in the 2013 season including the final which Mumbai Indians won. The following season was Dhawan’s best in the competition, as he played 13 games and averaged a wicket a game. He continued to be a horses for courses player for MI in the following years, and that IPL recognition also helped Dhawan pick up an International call-up. Rishi Dhawan played 3 ODIs and 1 T20I for India in 2016, picking up a wicket apiece in both formats. However, Dhawan couldn’t really nail a spot and it looked like he was set for a career in oblivion, but he had other ideas. Rishi Dhawan went back to the domestic circuit, and emerged as a superb leader for the tiny team of Himachal Pradesh. Dhawan showed the way with both bat and ball, being the second highest run getter and second highest wicket taker as Himachal Pradesh beat Tamil Nadu to claim the Vijay Hazare Trophy in 2021-22, a real David vs Goliath story! This talismanic performance caught the eye of the IPL scouts, as Rishi Dhawan was reunited with Punjab Kings for the 2022 season. He had a decent return for the franchise that season, playing six times and impressing in the later half of the league stages. Dhawan’s performances were good enough to prompt PBKS to retain him for the next season - something the franchise hasn’t done often.
