Former Indian All-rounder and 2007 T20 World Cup winner Irfan Pathan yesterday took to Twitter to support Wicket-keeper Batsman Sanju Samson who was once again looked over by the selectors of the Indian team for an upcoming 3-match ODI series against Australia.
The 5-time World Champions will square off with the Men in Blue just a few weeks before the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 starts in India. It will be a great preparatory series for both India and Australia to get accustomed to the conditions.
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Pat Cummins‘ side will play the 1st ODI on September 22 at Mohali before the 2nd and 3rd ODI at Indore and Rajkot on 24th & 27th September respectively. The Kangaroos announced their squad yesterday right before India announced its squad for the important assignment ahead of the Cricket World cup.
If we talk about the Indian squad then few key players like Captain Rohit Sharma, Vice-Captain Hardik Pandya, Virat Kohli and Shubman Gill have been rested for the first 2 ODIs but they will return for the 3rd ODI at Rajkot.
KL Rahul and Ravindra Jadeja will take over as Captain and Vice Captain during the ODIs at Mohali and Indore. The Men in Blue will not have any debutant in the series but one name that was once again over-looked by Indian selectors is Kerala born Wicket-keeper Batter Sanju Samson.
The 28-year-old was a reserve player during the recently concluded Asia Cup 2023 that India won at Sri-Lankan soil. He was expected to remain out of the playing XI there and was also dropped from India’s Cricket World Cup 2023 squad.
If I’m in place of @IamSanjuSamson right now I will be very disappointed…
— Irfan Pathan (@IrfanPathan) September 18, 2023
Sanju Samson was not included in India’s Asian Games squad either which mainly features young new faces with Ruturaj Gaikwad as the Captain. Some fans would have thought that Samson would get some game time during Australia’s tour of India but BCCI keeping their trend intact, rejected to offer the Keralian any chance of a comeback.
On that note, former Indian All-rounder Irfan Pathan took to Twitter yesterday to express his support on Sanju Samson’s absence from the squad for Australia series. “If I’m in place of @IamSanjuSamson right now I will be very disappointed.” – Pathan tweeted.
For a fact, BCCI’s decision to drop Sanju is not anything new and explosive batter is yet to receive full fledged backing from the team management. He has been a prominent name in the domestic circuit but has played very less International matches.
The 28-year-old has played only 13 ODIs and 24 T20Is with his last appearances for India coming in August 20 during India’s tour of Ireland.