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Having made his India debut in 2007, Rohit Sharma had already played more than 60 matches for the national team by 2011. Yet he was not picked in the final 15-member squad that eventually went on to lift the World Cup after 28 years.
Rohit Sharma, who is currently playing for Mumbai Indians in IPL, is one of the most accomplished Indian captain after MS Dhoni. (PTI)Former BCCI selector Krishnamachari Srikkanth had to apologise to Rohit Sharma, the 1983 World Cup-winning Indian cricketer had revealed recently. Srikkanth served as the BCCI Chief Selector from September 2008 to September 2012. During his tenure, the Indian team lifted the 2011 ODI World Cup, after a long wait of 28 years at n Mumbai's Wankhede Stadium.
Having made his India debut in 2007, Rohit had established himself as one of the pillars in the Indian ODI batting lineup in the middle order. Till the 2011 ODI World Cup, Rohit had played 61 ODIs for India, scoring 1248 runs, including two hundreds. Despite his experience, Rohit was snubbed from the World Cup squad, for which Srikkanth apologized to the right hander later.
Shedding light on why Rohit was not picked in the Indian side for the 2011 ODI World Cup, Srikkanth revealed that the selection committee preferred an all-rounder-heavy group, with several bowling options. “Poor fellow, he missed it," Srikkanth was quoted as saying to The Week.
“I feel bad for him even today. I told Rohit one day, in 2020… I’m sorry, boss. It’s not on purpose, but it’s just that we wanted to take those half all-rounders. And you see, end of the day, who was the man of the tournament? Yuvraj Singh – bowling and batting… In this half all-rounder concept, Rohit Sharma, poor fellow, he could not find a place," added Srikkanth.
In fact, by 2011 Rohit has established himself a part-time finger off-spinner and also had an Indian Premier League (IPL) hattrick to his name. However, a serious finger injury limited his bowling ability for the rest of his career.
2011 regret still drives Rohit Sharma
15 years down the line, Rohit is regarded as the most accomplished Indian captain after MS Dhoni with two ICC trophies to his name as an Indian captain. Under Rohit, India won the T20 World Cup in 2024 and the ICC Champions Trophy a year later. He could have matched Dhoni, had the Men in Blue not lost to Australia in the final of the 2023 ODI World Cup.
It must be noted that Rohit's career flourished when he was promoted up the order as an opener in 2013 across formats. Since then there was no looking for the Mumbai batter. The regret of missing a spot in the 2011 ODI World Cup squad drove Rohit as he was India's one of the best batters in 2015 edition, followed by a top run-getter finish in 2019.
In fact, Rohit scored a record five hundreds in the 2019 ODI World Cup in England. However, India lost to New Zealand in the semifinal. With the 2027 ODI World Cup in horizon, Rohit has quit Tests and T20Is for India.
About the Author
Koushik Paul
Koushik lives and breathes sports. After transitioning from his own aspirations of becoming a professional athlete, he successfully channeled that lifelong passion into a prolific career, documenting the action both from the sidelines and the editorial desk. With over eight years of industry experience, Koushik joined LiveMint as a Deputy Chief Content Producer in 2024, following impactful stints at Outlook India, India.com, Sportskeeda, Women’s CricZone, and OrissaPOST. A 2017 Journalism and Mass Communication graduate from Maharaja Manindra Chandra College, Kolkata, Koushik has reported on high-profile events including the FIFA U17 World Cup 2017, Ranji Trophy, FIH Pro League, FIH World League finals, the Indian Premier League, and Lionel Messi’s historic visit to Kolkata in 2025. <br><br> While he possesses a versatile command over all sports, he finds his niche in cricket, specializing in breaking news, long-form interviews, global sporting updates, and high-energy live blogs. Koushik’s professional perspective was further sharpened through the 2020 AIPS Young Reporters Programme, where he gained invaluable insights from renowned international journalists, including Keir Radnedge and Riccardo Romani from the United Kingdom, and Martin Mazur from Argentina. Currently based between Kolkata and Delhi, Koushik remains at the forefront of the breaking developments that shape the public sporting discourse. When he isn't tracking scores or deconstructing plays, he can be found exploring new landscapes on his travels or channeling his creative energy into the kitchen. <br><br> If you have a compelling story to share or know an individual who deserves the spotlight, please reach out via email at <a href="koushik.paul@htdigital.in">koushik.paul@htdigital.in</a>.
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