(AP Photo)
Sanju Samson’s exclusion from India’s ODI squad for the upcoming three-match series against Sri Lanka has sparked surprise. His last ODI innings saw him score a notable century (108) against South Africa in Paarl on December 21, 2023. Many were taken aback by Samson’s omission, including former Indian cricketer Aakash Chopra, who expressed disbelief in a video posted on his YouTube channel. Chopra attributed Samson’s snub to the comeback of senior players and the ongoing transition within Team India.
“The problem is that you see quite often that the main team players don’t play between two World Cups. Then some youngster plays, and when he does well, you feel he is very good and should be given opportunities, but as soon as the senior player becomes available, the senior plays and the youngster is left out. If you see logically, it’s right because he was keeping the bench warm, but is it right?” Chopra said.
“When the transition happens—a new coach, a new captain, or a new selection committee—bridges are not built at times, and there are gaps left in the middle. It’s that gap in Sanju Samson’s case because clarity of thought is not there, as he had scored a century the last time he was played, so why is he not a part of the team now?” he added.
Since his ODI debut for India in July 2021 against Sri Lanka, Samson has accumulated 510 runs in 16 matches, showcasing a striking ability with a 99.6 strike rate. Alongside his notable century, he has contributed three fifties for the Men in Blue.
During the IPL 2024 season, Samson was a standout performer for the Rajasthan Royals, amassing an impressive tally of 531 runs.
Despite missing out on India’s ODI squad, Samson has held onto his position in the T20I team, where he will play under the leadership of Suryakumar Yadav.
India’s T20I squad for Sri Lanka series: Suryakumar Yadav (c), Ꮪhubman Gill (vc), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rinku Singh, Riyan Parag, Rishabh Pant (wk), Sanju Samson (wk), Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Ravi Bishnoi, Arshdeep Singh, Khaleel Ahmed, Mohammed Siraj
India’s ODI squad for Sri Lanka series: Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill (vc), Virat Kohli, KL Rahul (wk), Rishabh Pant (wk), Shreyas Iyer, Shivam Dube, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohd. Siraj, Washington Sundar, Arshdeep Singh, Riyan Parag, Axar Patel, Khaleel Ahmed, Harshit Rana
