Former Indian opener Wasim Jaffer expressed his surprise at the omission of Sanju Samson and Abhishek Sharma from India’s squads for the upcoming ODI and T20I series against Sri Lanka. Following the announcement of the squad by the BCCI selection committee on Thursday, July 18, which sees Rohit Sharma and Suryakumar Yadav captaining the ODI and T20I teams respectively, Jaffer took to social media to share a cryptic post. His reaction hinted at his bewilderment over the exclusion of Samson and Sharma from the touring party, while also noting Shubman Gill’s appointment as vice-captain across both formats for the Sri Lanka tour.
Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sanju Samson, Washington Sundar, and Shivam Dube have retained their places in the T20I squad. In contrast, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Abhishek Sharma, Mukesh Kumar, and Avesh Khan did not make it into the T20I squad, despite their strong performances in the five-match series against Zimbabwe.
Surprised To Say The Least – Wasim Jaffer
Wasim Jaffer posted a picture featuring Sanjay Dutt and Abhishek Bachchan on social media, indirectly drawing attention to the absence of Sanju Samson and Abhishek Sharma from India’s ODI and T20I squads. Jaffer used the names of the actors to subtly allude to the players who were left out of the squad announced for the upcoming series against Sri Lanka. His post cleverly connected the actors’ names to those of the cricketers, sparking discussion and speculation among fans and followers.
Sanju Samson’s last appearance in an ODI was against South Africa in Paarl back in December 2023, where he showcased his batting prowess by scoring his maiden century in the format. His composed innings of 108 runs from 114 deliveries played a crucial role in India’s comprehensive 78-run victory, helping set a formidable total of 296 runs.
Meanwhile, Abhishek Sharma made a significant impact during the series against Zimbabwe, notably smashing a century off just 46 balls in the second match. Throughout the series, he accumulated 124 runs across five matches at an impressive strike rate of nearly 174.64. Abhishek’s ability to open the innings and contribute with effective spin bowling made him a potentially valuable asset for the team, highlighting his all-round capabilities on the international stage.
Sri Lanka Gearing Up to Host India in White-Ball Series
Sri Lanka is gearing up to host India for a series comprising three T20Is and ODIs. The T20Is are slated for July 26, 27, and 29 at Pallekele International Stadium, with the ODIs to follow at R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo.
Both teams will kick off the series under new leadership at the coaching helm. Sri Lanka will be guided by interim head coach Sanath Jayasuriya, a former opening batter and captain. Meanwhile, India will be under the guidance of Gautam Gambhir, who takes on his role as the new head coach.
India’s last bilateral white-ball tour to Sri Lanka was in July 2021, captained by veteran opener Shikhar Dhawan. The ODI series ended with India securing a 2-1 victory, while Sri Lanka claimed the T20I series by the same margin on home soil.
