Indian leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal has finally opened up about his shocking exclusion from India’s squad for the 2023 ODI World Cup at home. Despite being an experienced wicket-taker, Yuzvendra Chahal was not selected for the tournament, leaving one and all surprised.
Chahal revealed that then India captain Rohit Sharma had personally explained the reason behind his exclusion. Rohit made it clear that India wanted more batting depth and an extra fast bowler in the squad, and this clarity helped Chahal stop worrying too much about selection.
Yuzvendra Chahal breaks silence on 2023 World Cup exclusion, reveals Rohit Sharma’s explanation
During a conversation with Aakash Chopra on his YouTube podcast, Yuzvendra Chahal revealed that Rohit Sharma spoke to him about India’s plans for the 2023 ODI World Cup when the leg-spinner was preparing to play county cricket in England.
The Indian team management wanted batters who could contribute until number eight and also preferred an additional fast bowler for the 2023 World Cup. After the explanation, Chahal decided not to put unnecessary pressure on himself over selection and focused on his performances.
Chahal recalled during the discussion, “In 2023, when I went to play County, Rohit had told me that we want batters till number eight, so we were going with that. He told me clearly that they were also looking for an extra fast bowler for the World Cup. So, it was made clear to me. After the World Cup, I just stopped thinking about selection.”
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The spinner’s approach worked well in IPL 2024, where he picked up 18 wickets in 15 matches. His strong performance helped him earn a place in India’s squad for the 2024 T20 World Cup.
Rohit also hinted that he wanted Chahal in the team, subject to the final selection meeting. India went on to win the T20 World Cup in 2024, but Chahal did not get a chance to play a single match in the tournament. Earlier, Yuzvendra Chahal breaks silence on divorce, reveals anxiety attacks and 26 days in rehab.
He added, “In the IPL 2024, I just came to enjoy and did not put extra pressure on myself. That season, I did well, and Rohit told me he wanted me, and we would see in the selection meeting.”
Yuzvendra Chahal reveals which World Cup snub hurt him more
Chahal also opened up about his disappointment over missing the T20 World Cup in 2021 and not getting a game in the 2022 edition. The leg-spinner was surprisingly left out of India’s squad for the 2021 T20 World Cup but once again failed to feature in the playing XI.
The leg-spinner admitted that missing the entire squad in 2021 hurt him more than sitting on the bench in 2022. Being part of the team at least gave him some clarity about the team’s plans, even though he wanted to play at least one World Cup match.
Rohit had explained that Chahal would get an opportunity only if a particular team combination worked. This helped the spinner understand his role and accept the decision without putting too much pressure on himself.
He signed off by saying, “I felt worse in 2021 because I was not there at all. In 2022, at least I was in the team. Sometimes you also know the combination may not work. So, I did not think a lot. But you always feel that you should have at least played one World Cup game. Rohit had told me that I would play only if a particular combination worked. So at least I had the clarity.”