Sports · Cricket · 2 hrs ago
Chahal says India left him out of 2023 World Cup for batting depth
Yuzvendra Chahal says Rohit Sharma explained his 2023 World Cup omission while the spinner was playing county cricket.
India hosted that year’s ODI World Cup, but Chahal was not included in the 15-player squad.
The team wanted batters through number eight and another fast bowler, he said.
Chahal had been a leading white-ball spinner, but had not played an ODI since January 2023.
He later made India’s 2024 T20 World Cup squad but did not play, and said missing selection hurt more than being picked but left out of matches.
Chahal says the clear explanation helped him stop thinking about selection after the 2023 tournament.
He retired from first-class cricket in August 2026 after taking 148 wickets in 49 matches.
Yuzvendra Chahal said Rohit Sharma told him India left him out of the 2023 ODI World Cup squad because the team wanted batting through number eight and an extra fast bowler.
Chahal said the team’s reasoning was made clear to him while he was playing county cricket in 2023.
He said he stopped thinking about selection after the World Cup.
Chahal later made India’s squad for the 2024 T20 World Cup but did not play a match.
He said missing selection in 2021 hurt more than being in a squad without playing.
- Who
- Yuzvendra Chahal said Rohit Sharma explained his omission from India’s 2023 ODI World Cup squad.
- What
- Chahal said India wanted batters through number eight and an extra fast bowler.
- When
- The explanation was given in 2023, while Chahal was playing county cricket.
- Where
- Not stated
- Why
- The team wanted greater batting depth and an extra fast-bowling option.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
While Chahal was playing county cricket, Rohit Sharma explained the team’s plans for the ODI World Cup.
Chahal said he stopped thinking about selection.
Chahal said he performed well and Rohit told him he wanted him in the squad.
Chahal was selected but did not play a match.
- 2023 ODI World Cup squad
- 15 members
- India’s stated batting plan
- Batters through number eight
- Additional bowling option
- An extra fast bowler
- T20I record
- 96 wickets in 78 matches
- 2024 T20 World Cup
- Chahal was selected but did not play
3 sources
What people are saying
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.
After the World Cup, I just stopped thinking about selection.
I felt worse in 2021 because I was not there at all.