Shikhar Dhawan on what inspired him to become a talk show host despite his successful cricket career; he says, ‘If I am good at talking, why should I only talk about cricket?’

MUMBAI : After playing cricket for India for two decades, first at the under-19 and then the senior levels, Shikhar Dhawan has now taken on a whole new role as a talk show host. His first show, Dhawan Karenge, debuted on JioCinema earlier this month, featuring Akshay Kumar as its first guest.

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Asking him about what inspired him to become a talk show host following such a successful cricket career, the 39-year-old responds in his signature sardonic, dry way., “I am growing old as a cricketer. There will be a time when I will have to give that up completely. So, I have to do something else. God has given me lots of talents so I thought why not try them out. I have entertained people with Instagram Reels so I thought I could bring that same energy to this concept. Pretty soon, it became a reality.”

His guests on Dhawan Karenge are a mix of Hindi film Industry celebs like Akshay Kumar and Taapsee Pannu and his cricket colleagues such as Harbhajan Singh and Rishabh Pant.Dhawan claims he purposefully did this because he didn't want to confine himself to the playing field.. “I feel why should I limit myself to just one thing. If I am good at talking, why should I only talk about cricket? And everyone has seen the cricketer side of me. This show gives me a chance to show more sides of myself. I have a fondness for the Hindi film industry too. In fact, soon I would love to have political leaders on the show or big business leaders,” he says.

Shikhar, a king of 34 Tests, 167 ODIs, and 68 T20Is for India, says he borrowed a lot of qualities from his playing days to prepare for his new role. He explains, “I have been a cricketer for so long that it has made my self-belief very strong. Also, as a sportsperson, preparation is key. That habit also helped here. I took acting classes, worked on my pronunciation, and talking skills so that I look comfortable in front of the camera. I did all the work, whatever was required.”

His show is a lighthearted talk show with humour, so it's inevitable that comparisons to Kapil Sharma's classic shows will arise. Dhawan, however, asserts that he hasn't sought to copy anyone.“I love Kapil Sharma’s show and how he makes his guests laugh. That is what I want in my show too, that people laugh and my guests are at ease. It is similar to my character too. So, you see that on my show too. I am just myself here,” says the cricketer-turned-host.

Every Monday, a new episode of Dhawan Karenge with a new guest airs on JioCinema.

Also read: Shikhar Dhawan talks about his debut talk show Dhawan Karenge; Says ‘My focus was to bring warmth and charm’

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Credit: DNAIndia