'There should never be knee-jerk reaction': Shastri's unsparing Ashwin reminder to Rohit, Dravid for 2023 World Cup

India have been served with two massive chances to end their long drought of another ICC trophy in 2023. They lost in the first when Australia scripted a 209-run win in the World Test Championship final at The Oval earlier this month. But the Rohit Sharma-led India have one another chance remaining - the ODI World Cup, slated to happen later in October at home. And even though India head into the tournament as favourites, former India head coach Ravi Shastri sent out an unsparing warning to Rohit and head coach Rahul Dravid given them reminder of that Ashwin decision in WTC final.

Despite being the No.1 ranked Test bowler as per the ICC and the highest wicket-taker for India in that WTC cycle, Ashwin was dropped to make way for an extra seamer in the final, a move that later backfired in their second consecutive defeat in the tournament's final.

With India now looking ahead to the 50-over World Cup with the final phase of the preparation starting with the West Indies series next month, Shastri, in an interview with The Week, urged the team management to not show “knee-jerk reaction” before backing the team as favourites along with England and Australia.

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“First of all, there should never be a knee-jerk reaction because of what happened in the World Test Championship. It is a different format, one which India is good at. They are playing at home. I think they are one of the favourites. I am telling you now, I think they can win this one. Provided they get the right balance of experience and youth. And there is enough time to identify the squad that you want. And if you get your full strength side, I think India are favourites, with England and Australia,” he said.

Are India ‘chokers’?

Shastri also reacted to the “chokers” tag given to India after they failed to end their ICC trophy drought in June.

“I would not say that. I mean, these two teams that were playing [India and Australia] were the only two teams that had a chance to win all three World Cups. And it is not that we have been rolled over [at World Cups]. We have been in semifinals, we have been in finals. We have not got it because when you want to win the big one, you need a combined effort. You cannot blame one individual, one captain,” he said.

“You need 100s in a World Cup, World Test Championship final. Then you have a good chance of setting it up for the bowlers and winning the trophy. If you do not get a 100, you need at least three 50s, whether it is Test, T20 or one-day cricket. If you have not done that, you do not deserve to win.”