On August 21, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced the squad for the Asia Cup 2023, with Rohit Sharma leading the team. The selection marks Rohit’s return to the team after missing a few matches against West Indies.
Expressing his aspirations, Rohit Sharma has stated his desire to win both the Asia Cup and the ICC World Cup 2023. Notably, Rohit was not a part of the Indian squad that won the ICC Cricket World Cup in 2011. Over the years, he has spoken about his disappointment regarding his omission from that historic squad.
Raja Venkat, a selection panel member during the 2011 World Cup, has recently shed light on the selection process. According to Venkat, the selection panel had unanimously agreed upon the names of the first 14 players for the squad. However, for the 15th and final spot, the selectors recommended Rohit Sharma’s name. The then-coach Gary Kirsten also supported having Rohit in the squad.
Raja Venkat said, “Rohit was in the scheme of things. The panel agreed upon every name from 1-14. For the 15th and final spot, we recommended Rohit’s name, and even then, coach Gary Kirsten felt it was a perfect selection. However, MS Dhoni was not convinced as he wanted Piyush Chawla, following which Gary also took a U-turn and said, ‘I think Piyush is a better choice.'”
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However, the captain then, MS Dhoni, had a different preference. Dhoni reportedly favored the inclusion of Piyush Chawla over Rohit Sharma as the 15th member of the squad. Following Dhoni’s preference, Kirsten changed his stance and supported Chawla’s selection. As a result, Rohit Sharma was not included in the final squad for the 2011 World Cup.
Interestingly, Piyush Chawla played only three matches in the 2011 World Cup and took four wickets throughout the tournament. This revelation sheds light on the decision-making process and dynamics within the selection panel and team management during a crucial tournament like the ICC Cricket World Cup.
