Former Indian opener, Aakash Chopra, has voiced his concerns over the exclusion of Shikhar Dhawan from India’s World Cup 2023 squad. Chopra believes that Dhawan’s absence is a missed opportunity for the team, considering his left-handed batting prowess and impressive track record in ICC tournaments.
With the much-awaited World Cup scheduled to take place in India from October 5 to November 19, Aakash Chopra expressed his belief that Shikhar Dhawan deserved a place in the 17-member squad. However, to the surprise of many, Dhawan has not represented India since December 2022 and has also been left out of the upcoming ODI series against the West Indies.
In a video on his YouTube channel, Chopra discussed India’s potential opening options for the World Cup. While acknowledging Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill as the preferred opening pair, he emphasized the value of having a left-handed option like Shikhar Dhawan in the mix.
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Chopra questioned the think-tank’s decision to overlook Dhawan for such a crucial role, raising the point of having a left-right combination at the top to put pressure on the opposition. He expressed his disappointment with Dhawan’s omission from the squad, noting that the team’s disregard for him extended to other upcoming tournaments as well.
Highlighting Dhawan’s remarkable performances in ODI cricket and his exceptional performances in ICC tournaments, Chopra underscored that if this question had been raised earlier in 2022, Dhawan would not only have been in contention for a spot but also likely a shoo-in for the final team.
