Ravi Shastri wants this player to be part of Indian contingent for the 20-20 World Cup
Ravi Shastri (Image Credit : Twitter)
Former India head coach Ravi Shastri wants wicketkeeper batter Sanju Samson to be part of the Indian team for the 20-20 World Cup this year. Samson was excluded from the Indian squad for the five-match T20I series against South Africa. The wicketkeeper last played for the national team early this year against Sri Lanka. In that series, the right-hander scored 57 runs at an average of 28.50 and a strike rate of 154.05 in three games.
On the other hand, the Kerala player had a decent season in the Indian T20 League 2022 while leading the Rajasthan team. He scored 458 runs in 17 games at an average of 28.63 and a strike rate of 146.79 including two fifties. However, when the squad for the South Africa series was announced, he was not included in the team. Meanwhile, Shastri believes that Vizhinjam-born will be an asset for the team in the showpiece event in Australia.
The former head coach reasoned that the 27-year-old plays the short ball well which will be important on the bouncy wickets down under. The 1983 World Cup winner added that there will be a stiff competition between Shreyas Iyer, Rahul Tripathi, and Sanju Samson.
“(Short ball discussion) it will come into play in these 20 games. Between Tripathi, Samson, and Iyer, there will be opportunities now. But when you look at Australia, bounce, pace, cut, pull, Samson will always threaten there. For that conditions, he has more shots than any other Indian, to be honest,” Shastri told ESPNcricinfo.
Iyer is currently part of the Men in Blue which will play their first T20I against the Proteas on June 9 in Delhi. Tripathi was also expected to be selected for the series after scoring 413 runs in 14 games at an average of 37.55 and 158.24 including three fifties. From the perspective of Samson and Tripathi, they might get an opportunity on the tour of Ireland. The reason for that is the BCCI selectors will given opportunities to young players with Hardik Pandya expected to lead the side.
