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India’s 15-member squad for the ODI World Cup 2023 was announced on Tuesday, September 05 by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) where several players were handed the opportunity despite their low returns in the format. However, the selection committee didn’t show faith in the veteran opener Shikhar Dhawan who continues to find himself out of the team since January 2023.
Following Dhawan’s omission from the squad, fans were left disappointed as they extended their support to the swashbuckling opener. However, despite being left out of the team, Dhawan congratulated the players who made it to the World Cup squad and wished them well for the mega event scheduled to begin in India from October 05.
Dhawan took to X and wrote, “Congratulations to my fellow team mates & friends chosen to represent India in the WC 2023 tournament! With the prayers and support of 1.5 billion people, you carry our hopes and dreams. May you bring the cup back home 🏆 and make us proud! Go all out, Team India! 🇮🇳 #ChakDePhatte #WorldCup.”
Congratulations to my fellow team mates & friends chosen to represent India in the WC 2023 tournament! With the prayers and support of 1.5 billion people, you carry our hopes and dreams.
May you bring the cup back home 🏆 and make us proud! Go all out, Team India! 🇮🇳… https://t.co/WbVmD0Fsl5— Shikhar Dhawan (@SDhawan25) September 6, 2023
Notably, Dhawan has been a top performer in the multinational ODI tournaments ever since his return to the team in 2013. He won the ‘Golden Bat’ for finishing as the highest run-scorer in Champions Trophy back-to-back in 2013 (363 runs) and 2017 (338 runs) editions. He further finished as the highest run scorer of the 2018 Asia Cup (342 runs) and India’s highest run scorer in the 2014 Asia Cup (192 runs) and 2015 ODI World Cup (412 runs).
Below Par show in 2022 led to Dhawan being dropped
The 37-year-old got his 2019 World Cup campaign off to a rollicking start as well with a phenomenal hundred in the second game against Australia (117). However, his tournament was cut short by an injury he incurred while batting during the innings. Dhawan was also India’s designated vice-captain, having led a young team on the tours of West Indies and New Zealand in 2022.
However, his below-par show with the bat, where he amassed 688 runs in 22 innings in 2022 at an average of 34.40 and a strike rate of 74.21, led to him axed from the team.
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