IND VS NZ: Sanju Samson out of Hamilton ODI– As and when the toss was done in Hamilton, Indian cricket fans were in particular searching for one cricketer’s name. That was Sanju Samson, and unfortunately, he was left out of the playing XI. What could be the reason? Well, the team management might label it a tactical move, but the fans by now are well and truly aware that it has gone beyond that sentiment. Follow IND vs NZ Live Updates with InsideSport.IN.
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At some stage, Sanju Samson is likely to doubt his credentials as an international cricketer. Does he even belong at this level? Is he good enough to play for India? Well, if he is, then why is he the only one who gets to warm the benches, when ‘certain’ under-performers continue to enjoy a run which they don’t really deserve. No matter how much Samson tries to project this tough guy image in front of the public, this kind of “taken for granted” attitude from the Indian team management should hurt the Kerala-born cricketer.
The fact that he has been left in and out of the playing XI for the Hamilton ODI is no longer news anymore. What was left to be seen was whether he would have saved his position in the first place. The answer to the question is a big no. And for what reasons? No one knows except the ever-deniable and unapproachable Team India management.
Cricket fans were raging on Twitter and other notable social media platforms once the news of Samson being left out of Hamilton’s ODI broke out. Some called him a soft target, while others called it totally unfair.
Sanju Samson is an easy target now. #Samsun pic.twitter.com/iS95XF4UUh
— राकेश सीकर 🇮🇳 (@GurjarRakesh10) November 27, 2022
@IamSanjuSamson got dropped after just one match. Still @RishabhPant17 is getting chances again and again. #SanjuSamson #RishabhPant
— DJ (@djpradhan97) November 27, 2022
@SDhawan25 – Why is @IamSanjuSamson asked to sit out ? He has performed relatively well in the one match he played. If you had to play @HoodaOnFire , there are few others who could have been benched.@BCCI #IndiaVsNewZealand
— Indian (@ban_banker) November 27, 2022
Understand why Hooda is being played, but Sanju Samson deserves a consistent run yaar. Just give him a decent run rather than these sporadic games. Has grabbed his chances this year in ODIs. #NZvIND
— Rohit Sankar (@imRohit_SN) November 27, 2022
The fact is that what Indian cricket fans and experts can easily see, the team management and the captains can’t. They have clearly turned a blind eye towards what the fans really want. However, this is not about what fans want; this is about what’s right for Sanju Samson.
The 27-year-old was a part of the Auckland ODI, in which he scored 38-ball 36. Surely, the score is not an earth-shattering one, but for the guy who has been made the scapegoat for including “favorites” instead, this is still a respectable individual contribution. India lost the Auckland ODI, largely due to poor bowling. However, the first man to be dropped was Samson. The reason being, India needing a sixth bowling option.
India’s playing XI in 2nd ODI: Shikhar Dhawan(c), Shubman Gill, Shreyas Iyer, Rishabh Pant(w), Suryakumar Yadav, Deepak Hooda, Washington Sundar, Deepak Chahar, Umran Malik, Arshdeep Singh, Yuzvendra Chahal
🚨 Team News 🚨
2⃣ changes for #TeamIndia as @HoodaOnFire & @deepak_chahar9 are named in the team. #NZvIND
Follow the match 👉 https://t.co/frOtF82cQ4
A look at our Playing XI 🔽 pic.twitter.com/MnkwOy6Qde
— BCCI (@BCCI) November 27, 2022
Samson was a part of the entire T20 series against New Zealand, but was made to warm the benches there as well. T20 captain Hardik Pandya did give a consoling answer, ideally to Sanju first and then the media, about how unlucky he was not to be a part of the final XI on a consistent basis.
“This is my team and I’ll pick the best side after discussing with the coach. There is ample of time. Everyone will get their chances and when they do, it will be a long run. This was a small series, if we had more matches then we could have tried out more players,” Hardik told media at the end of T20 series in Napier.
If not in his prime, then when exactly is the team management planning to give Samson the chances he truly deserves? Since making his ODI debut in July 2021, Samson has played in only 11 ODIs. The longest rope he has been given is that of 3-matches apiece against Zimbabwe and South Africa this year. That’s largely due to seniors taking rest or being rotated due to injuries.
When one talks about a talented cricketer, fans and media in general talk about the potential and talent he carries. In Sanju Samson’s case, it’s the complete opposite. Everyone can see the massive potential he has to win matches for India, but the skipper and the team management always have Plan B when it comes to Samson.
One can call Samson unlucky, given that he has been good enough to find a place in the national team but not good enough to be a part of the XI. If the same thing, keeps on happening over and over again, it just breaks down the confidence of the man. Sanju Samson might get 100 percent when it comes to keeping the team spirit high with his positive attitude. However, he might well be remembered by the Indian cricket fans for being the talent, which the country failed to utilize at the highest level.
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