India captain Rohit Sharma made a strong comeback with an unbeaten century in the 3rd T20I against Afghanistan after facing two consecutive ducks. In the post-match discussion, Rohit addressed questions about the T20 World Cup squad combinations and the approach of both himself and head coach Rahul Dravid. Rohit gave a candid response, acknowledging the challenge of keeping everyone satisfied.
Speaking to the broadcaster after the match, Rohit mentioned that the 15-member squad for the T20 World Cup has not been finalized yet, and the team management is considering 8-10 players for selection.
“We have not finalized the 15-member squad, but there are 8-10 players in our minds. So we will make our combinations according to the conditions. In the West Indies, the conditions are slow, so we’ll have to pick our team accordingly. As far as Rahul Dravid and I are concerned, we’ve tried to maintain clarity. We try to tell them why they’ve been selected or not been selected even after putting in performances,” explained Rohit.
Acknowledging the challenge of player satisfaction, Rohit emphasized that it’s impossible to make everyone happy, and only 11 players can be in the playing XI.
“You can’t keep everyone happy, that is what I’ve learned in my time as captain. You can keep 15 players happy. Then also, only 11 are happy. The four players sitting on the bench also ask why they’re not playing. I’ve learned that you can’t keep everyone happy, and the focus should be on the team’s goal,” Rohit added.
The Afghanistan series was India’s last assignment before the T20 World Cup, and player selection will be influenced by their performances in the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL).