Indian wicketkeeper-batter Sanju Samson is expected to be given more opportunities in the Indian team than Ishan Kishan after the selectors and team management have been dissatisfied with Kishan’s disciplinary concerns. The Kerala star will return to the Indian squad for the three-match T20 series against Afghanistan.
Sanju Samson returns to the T20I team for the first time since August 2023. Sanju Samson’s luck has not been on his side lately, as he has missed several major ICC competitions for India despite doing well in IPL and domestic cricket. However, the Kerala star has the opportunity to make an impact in India’s final T20I before the World Cup.
According to the reports in the Bengali newspaper Anandabazar Patrika, It is said Sanju Samson could be offered more opportunities in the Indian cricket team in upcoming months as a result of Ishan Kishan’s disciplinary issues. The Southpaw, who was part of the Test Series against South Africa, withdrew from the squad owing to personal reasons.
It seemed that the Indian team management was surprised to see him at a party in Dubai and then on a popular television quiz show after opting out of the South Africa Test series. It is said that selectors have taken action on the wicketkeeper-batter by not choosing him owing to his unpredictable behaviour. According to the article, Ishan Kishan’s selection for the T20 World Cup 2024 is also in doubt.
As a result, Sanju Samson will undoubtedly have more opportunities in the team going forward. According to the source, India’s first-choice wicket-keeper KL Rahul in the World Cup, ODIs, and Test Series against South Africa, will be considered for the position.
In the absence of Ishan Kishan, Sanju Samson has been offered the opportunity to be part of the squad. The 29-year-old has struggled to develop consistency in his T20I career and scored only 374 runs in 24 matches, averaging 19.68.
Sanju Samson made it count in South Africa, scoring his first ODI century in the final match to help South Africa clinch the three-match T20 series. Samson scored a quick 108 as India won the series decider by 78 runs at Paarl.
However, Jitesh Sharma may be first preferred for the gloveman post in the series against Afghanistan. The Vidarbha wicket-keeper batter performed exceptionally well in a home series against Australia last year, as well as in the T20I series in South Africa.
