New Delhi, Jan 21 (.) Former India captain Rohit Sharma has opened up on the tough selection call that saw Shreyas Iyer miss out on India’s squads for the 2022 Asia Cup and the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, revealing that the decision was clearly communicated to the batter at the time.
Iyer was not included in India’s T20 World Cup 2022 squad and was named only among the reserves, but did not travel to Australia. He had also been left out of the Asia Cup squad earlier that year, with the team management opting for all-rounder Deepak Hooda instead.
Speaking to JioHotstar, Sharma said he, along with then head coach Rahul Dravid, personally explained the reasoning behind the decision to Iyer during India’s tour of the West Indies.
“There have been many such instances of taking hard calls before World Cups. I think of Shreyas Iyer during the 2022 T20 World Cup,” Rohit said.
“I still remember that we were playing in the West Indies. Rahul bhai and I always felt that if you are taking such calls, it is important for the individual to know why you are doing it. We called Shreyas near the pool, and Rahul bhai and I both spoke to him about why he was not going to be part of that Asia Cup, followed by the T20 World Cup.”
Sharma explained that team balance and skill set requirements played a decisive role, with India prioritising an option who could contribute with both bat and ball.
“We felt we needed someone who could give us a little more with the ball, because in our top five or six, there were not many players who could bowl. So we wanted players with those multi-skills, and that is why we had to go with Hooda,” he said.
The 2024 T20 World Cup-winning captain added that form was another key factor behind Hooda’s selection, pointing to his performances leading into the tournament.
“He was in good form before that Asia Cup and World Cup, and based on the form he showed in the IPL and the way he was batting, I felt he could fit into our plans,” Rohit said.
Acknowledging the emotional side of selection decisions, Sharma said such calls inevitably affect players on both sides.
“Shreyas would have felt bad, Deepak would have been happy, but that is how it works. If someone else takes Deepak’s place in the future, then he would feel bad as well. As long as you have a valid reason and you explain it properly, that is fine,” he added.
India eventually went on to include Hooda in both the Asia Cup and the 2022 T20 World Cup squads.
. VAN PRS