When Shikhar Dhawan's secret romance in hotel room he shared with Rohit Sharma kept him awake: ‘She was very...'

Pink Villa

3 hours ago

In his recently released autobiography The One: Cricket, My Life and More, Shikhar Dhawan pulls the curtain back on a lesser-known chapter from his early cricketing days. From what he shares, his 2006 India A tour to Australia saw him begin a romance in secret, one that quickly drew the ire of his roommate, Rohit Sharma. At the time, both players were still vying for spots in the national team.
A secret affair begins in Darwin
Dhawan states that their story began at Darwin Airport, where he spotted the striking brunette with sharp features in the immigration queue. He refers to the woman as Ellen throughout the autobiography, though this is not her real name.
After a brief exchange of smiles, the two introduced themselves, swapped contact information, and started meeting frequently. No doubt about it, they were completely in sync right off the bat. 'She was very beautiful, and suddenly I was in love again,' Dhawan wrote.
Convinced she was 'the one,' he began inviting her to post-match parties, and soon, he started 'smuggling her' into his hotel room—the same room he was sharing with Rohit Sharma. The distraction came at a cost.
Though Dhawan began the tour well, including a half-century in a practice match, his focus shifted as his off-field romance deepened. 'After every game, I would go over to meet up with Ellen,' he admitted, adding that Rohit, increasingly annoyed, would mutter, 'Will you let me sleep?' in frustration.
Caught in the act and off the selector's radar
The explosive romance did not stay hidden for long. Dhawan and his girlfriend were spotted walking hand-in-hand through the hotel lobby one evening by a senior national selector. 'It didn't even occur to me that I should let go of her hand, because to me, we were committing no crime,' he wrote.
The news spread quickly among teammates, raising eyebrows about his professionalism. Dhawan acknowledged that had he maintained form throughout the tour, he might have 'made it to the senior Indian side.'
Instead, his performances dipped, and the opportunity slipped. Though the relationship did not last, Dhawan went on to create an incredibly formidable international career. He's played 34 Tests for India, with 68 T20 Internationals, and 167 One Day Internationals under his belt.