‘I Am Sorry’: Kris Srikkanth Regrets Leaving Rohit Sharma Out Of 2011 WC Squad

Kris Srikkanth apologized to Rohit Sharma for leaving him out of India’s 2011 World Cup squad, admitting that the decision still weighs on him.

India won the ICC World Cup in 2011, ending a 28-year wait since 1983. The MS Dhoni-led team also became the first to win the title at home. However, the win included tough selection calls. Rohit Sharma missed out despite strong ODI performances at that time. He later emerged as one of India’s finest white-ball batters.

Then chief selector Kris Srikkanth explained the reasoning behind the decision. The panel prioritized players with all-around abilities to match the 1983 model. The focus remained on team balance rather than individual form. Srikkanth later expressed regret over the call, admitting the decision to leave out Rohit still troubles him years after 2011.

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“I feel bad for him even today. I told Rohit last year, I am sorry. It’s not by purpose, but it’s just that we want to take those half all-rounders. Our thought process was similar to that of the 1983 World Cup,” Srikkanth said in an interview with The Week.

“And at the end of the day, who was the Player of the Tournament? Yuvraj Singh, with the ball and bat. In some matches, Sehwag, Sachin and Suresh Raina would have bowled a few overs. Even Yusuf Pathan is a half all-rounder. So in all these things, unfortunately, what happened, this half all-rounder concept, Rohit Sharma, the poor fellow, could not find a place. He was actually good enough to play in the 2011 World Cup, but poor boy missed out,” he added.

📣 Krish Srikkanth reveals why he dropped Rohit Sharma from 2011 world cup squad:

I feel bad for him even today. I told Rohit last year, I'm sorry, boss. It's not by purpose, but it's just that we want to take those half all-rounders. Our thought process was similar to that of… pic.twitter.com/mm9IpVXDdx

— TEJASH 🚩 (@LoyleRohitFan) April 22, 2026

Notably, India’s selection approach proved effective during the 2011 World Cup. All-round contributions played a key role in the title-winning run. Yuvraj Singh led the charge with 362 runs and 15 wickets in 9 matches, earning the Player of the Tournament award. Several batters also offered bowling options. Virender Sehwag, Sachin Tendulkar, and Suresh Raina delivered useful overs when required. Yusuf Pathan added further balance as a part-time option.