ICC World Cup 2023: "No One Is Automatic Selection, Even I'm Not" - Rohit Sharma Makes Colossal Remark

India National Cricket Team captain Rohit Sharma has made a huge remark ahead of the Asia Cup 2023, saying that no Indian cricketer, including himself, is an automatic selection for the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 and everyone will have to fight for their spot.

India still don’t have a settled ODI squad with the Asia Cup 2023 only a few weeks away. There is a question mark over the availability of two premier batters Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul while star pacer Jasprit Bumrah is set for his comeback in the upcoming T20I series against Ireland.

After the Asia Cup, India will play an ODI series before the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 at home. The Men In Blue will open their World Cup campaign against Australia on October 8 in Chennai.

In an interaction arranged by LaLiga in Mumbai, Rohit Sharma said (as quoted by PTI):

“No one is an automatic (selection), even I am not. We have this thing where nobody is guaranteed a spot. We cannot say that ‘you are there after all’ or things like that.

“Yes, some players know that they are going to play but at this point in time, playing three ODIs in the West Indies was a good opportunity to look at a few guys. In the Asia Cup, again, we will face good opposition,” he said.

We have to see, how they respond, what they do – Rohit Sharma on KL Rahul and Shreyas Iyer

While talking about KL Rahul and Shreyas Iyer, Rohit Sharma said that coming back to cricket after having surgery is quite tough and the team management will have to see how the duo will respond after returning to the side.

“Shreyas and KL are coming off not playing anything for four months, big injuries, surgeries rather. Both had surgeries. I know, I had to undergo surgery once and how it feels afterwards, it is quite tough. We have to see, how they respond, what they do,” Rohit Sharma said.

“The selection (meeting) will be there in a few days, we will have a good debate about what we can do. But honestly nobody is an automatic choice – they all have to fight for the spot – everyone has to, whether it is a top spot or a bottom spot.”

Rohit Sharma further said that they have a lot of talented players available for selection and will have to carefully pick the right combination for the World Cup.

“We have got a lot of names there. We will see what is the right combination for us to go in the World Cup but before that we have the Asia Cup,” the India skipper said.