Former India opener Wasim Jaffer feels that India might give Sanju Samson a chance to bat the number 3 in the second T20I in Dharamsala.
In the first match of the 3-match series, India beat Sri Lanka comprehensively with a margin of 62 runs as Ishan Kishan returned back in form with a knock of 56-ball 89 while Shreyas Iyer, who came out to bat at no. 3 in absence of Virat Kohli also gave India a flourish in the second half of the innings. He scored unbeaten 57 runs in 28 balls.
Sanju Samson and Deepak Hooda didn’t get a chance to bat in the first match
As India continues with the experimentation in the series, Wasim Jaffer thinks that it’s time for Sanju Samson to give a go at no.3. Jaffer also argued for Hooda to bat in the top order. The duo didn’t get a chance to bat in the first match.
“I think it is worth giving Sanju Samson a go (in the second T20I). Shreyas has played really well after the opportunity he got in the first T20I. We might see Sanju Samson coming at No.3, we might also see Deepak Hooda get an opportunity in T20.
“So those are the two possible reshuffles we can see, so India has got a lot of bench-strength which they can try at this point in time,” Wasim Jaffer spoke to ESPNcricinfo.
It was Sanju Samson’s first game for India after the Sri Lanka tour last year when the second-string side travelled to Sri Lanka as all the members in the test squad were preparing for the Test series in England. He also made his ODI debut on the same tour.
In his debut ODI match, he scored 46 runs but since then he hasn’t got any chance to prove himself in the 50-over format.
However, this series is a big opportunity for him to audition for his place in the T20 World Cup to be held in Australia later this year.
On the other side Deepak Hooda who made his ODI debut against the West Indies a couple of weeks back, was handed a T20I debut against Sri Lanka as Ruturaj Gaikwad complained of pain in his right wrist ahead of the first match.