"What was Rohit thinking while choosing the team? - Fans react as India bench Mohammed Shami for 2023 World Cup tie vs AFG

Team India's senior pacer Mohammed Shami failed to find a place in the playing XI for their 2023 World Cup fixture against Afghanistan at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Wednesday.

Many fans and experts alike predicted that Shami could replace off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin in the lineup for the game, considering the conditions in Delhi. However, the Indian team management went ahead with Shardul Thakur, possibly for batting depth.

Several Indian supporters were unhappy with Shami's exclusion and took to social media to slam the Indian think tank. Here are some of the top reactions:

It is worth mentioning that Mohammed Shami showcased tremendous form during India's three-match home ODI series against Australia prior to the World Cup. The seasoned campaigner bagged a stunning five-wicket haul in the first ODI in Mohali before picking up one more wicket in the second game.

Shami was also exceptional with the ball when India took on Afghanistan in the 2019 World Cup. He picked up four wickets, including a hat-trick.

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Afghanistan elect to bat first against India in 2023 World Cup tie

Afghanistan captain Hashmatullah Shahidi won the toss and chose to bat first against India in Delhi. Explaining his decision, he mentioned that they would want to defend a total given that bowling is their strongest suit.

Shahidi said at the toss:

"We will bat first. It looks like a good batting surface. We have a good bowling attack to restrict them. It looks like a good surface, we want to bounce back with the bat. We are enjoying, good chance to showcase our talent."

Rohit Sharma and company secured a six-wicket win over Australia in their opening game of the 2023 World Cup, successfully chasing a 200-run target. Afghanistan, on the other hand, suffered a six-wicket defeat to Bangladesh in their first outing.

Afghanistan's XI: Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Ibrahim Zadran, Rahmat Shah, Hashmatullah Shahidi (c), Najibullah Zadran, Mohammad Nabi, Azmatullah Omarzai, Rashid Khan, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Naveen-ul-Haq, and Fazalhaq Farooqi.

India's XI: Rohit Sharma (c), Ishan Kishan, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (wk), Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, and Mohammed Siraj.