'To my fellow teammates...': Shikhar Dhawan pens emotional message after being dropped from India's World Cup squad!
Indian cricketer Shikhar Dhawan, known for his impressive performances in ICC events, has surprisingly not been included in the 15-member squad announced by Team India for the much-awaited World Cup 2023. Despite being a key player for the Men in Blue, Dhawan was not selected. However, instead of holding any grudge, the veteran opener displayed remarkable sportsmanship by extending hearty congratulations and best wishes to the selected players.
Taking to Twitter, Dhawan expressed his appreciation for the individuals who have secured their places in the World Cup 2023 squad, while also extending warm wishes to his fellow teammates.
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.
— Shikhar Dhawan (@SDhawan25) September 6, 2023
May you bring the cup back home 🏆 and make us proud! Go all out, Team India! 🇮🇳… https://t.co/WbVmD0Fsl5
Shikhar wrote- “Congratulations to my teammates and friends who have been selected to represent India in the WC 2023 tournament! With the prayers and support of 1.5 billion people, you carry our hopes and dreams forward. Can you bring the cup back home and make us proud? Try your best, Team India! #ChakDePhatte #WorldCup,”
It is noteworthy that Shikhar Dhawan has been kept out of Team India's plans for the last 12 months. The two-time ICC Player of the Tournament has not represented India since December 2022. Recently, chairman of selectors Ajit Agarkar discussed Dhawan's future during the press conference to announce the Asia Cup 2023 squad.
Meanwhile, Indian captain Rohit Sharma addressed the issue of players who were left out of the World Cup 2023 squad. The Indian captain emphasized that the selection committee thoroughly considered all possible options before finalizing the fifteen players. Despite the disappointment, Sharma encouraged the ousted players to remain positive and patiently wait for the right opportunity.
Indian squad for World Cup 2023: Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Suryakumar Yadav, Ishan Kishan, KL Rahul, Hardik Pandya (VC), Shardul Thakur, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Mohammad Siraj, Kuldeep Yadav