Veteran India opener Shikhar Dhawan (AFP Image)
Aakash Chopra suggested that it’s highly unlikely for Shikhar Dhawan to make it for the ODI World Cup squad after the selectors ignored him for upcoming series against West Indies and Asian Games.
Aakash Chopra suggested that India have turned their back on Shikhar Dhawan and there are very slim chances of him making it to the 2023 ODI World Cup squad. Dhawan has been out of the Indian team for the past few months and played his last match in December. The selectors and team management decided to back Shubman Gill as Rohit Sharma’s opening partner and the move worked out well for them thus far. The young opener has already smashed four centuries and a double century in 24 ODIs he played for India.
Chopra discussed India’s World Cup squad in a video on his YouTube channel. The former Indian opener talked about the importance of a left-right combination at the top of batting order,
“It keeps going on in your heart and it’s a valid discussion point – can there be a left and right-handed combination so that the batting becomes slightly easier and a little pressure is put on the opposition team? When you go with that thinking, can Shikhar Dhawan’s name come on this list?” Chopra said.
However, Chopra suggested that it’s highly unlikely for Dhawan to make it for the ODI World Cup squad after the selectors ignored him for upcoming series against West Indies and Asian Games.
“Shikhi boy’s name should have been on this list but it seems like it won’t be there because his name is not there for the West Indies tour as well and you didn’t put his name for the Asian Games too. So it seems like the team has turned their back on him,” he added.
The cricketer-turned-commentator further recalled Dhawan’s sensational century against Australia in the 2019 World Cup where he batted with a fracture. Chopra said there is no competition for Dhawan in ODIs but the selectors and team management have moved on from him.
“When he played the last World Cup, he had a fracture and went out after that, but went after scoring a century in that match as well. There is no competition for him in ODI cricket but at this point in time it doesn’t look like the Indian selectors or team management are thinking about him at all.”
“It is like you are doing very well but suddenly someone comes and because he is a three-format player and is doing well in multiple places, he goes ahead of you. You say – ‘I never lost in the race but what happened actually? Some other player won some other race, so why are you dropping me?'”
