‘Rohit told we needed more batting’: India spinner explains ODI World Cup snub

Yuzvendra Chahal revealed that Rohit Sharma had revealed the reason for his non-selection in the 2023 World Cup. (BCCI)

Yuzvendra Chahal’s India career fell off a cliff in mid-2023, despite emerging as one of white-ball cricket’s leading spin wicket-takers. Despite his attacking prowess in T20Is, Chahal curiously did not feature in a single World Cup game. Chahal emerged as India’s best spinner in the 2019 ODI World Cup, yet years later, he missed the bus for the 2023 home World Cup.

The 36-year-old leggie, who last played an ODI in January 2023, opened up about why he failed to make the 15-member squad for the World Cup the same year. In a conversation with former India opener Aakash Chopra, Chahal said that he was informed of his non-selection by then-captain Rohit Sharma. Chahal revealed that the team management wanted to pursue an alternate plan of action for the tournament with additional batting and fast-bowling options.

“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,” Chahal said.

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Chahal played his last T20I in August 2023, and yet made the cut for the 2024 T20 World Cup. However, he did not get a single game.

“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,” he added.

Despite ranking among the best Indian spinners in the T20I format with 96 wickets in 78 matches since his debut in mid-2016, Chahal would miss all subsequent World Cups held in 2021, 2022, 2024 and this summer.

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When asked about which omission hurt him the most, Chahal said that not making the squad left him more dejected than not playing a single game.

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“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,” he said.

After a frutiful County stint with Northamptonshire in August this year, Chahal announced his retirement from First-Class cricket with 148 wickets in 49 matches. With 396 wickets in 343 matches, Chahal remains the highest wicket-taker among all Indian bowlers in T20 cricket.