Asia Cup? X, World Cup? X, Asian Games? X. Sanju Samson is stuck in an endless loop of getting snubbed from the India Cricket Team. There were hopes for him with Ajit Agarkar taking charge of the BCCI Selection Committee. But with ODI non-performer Suryakumar Yadav getting the nod ahead of Sanju in the IND vs AUS ODI series (India vs Australia), it begs the question, what’s next?
Even though the Sanju Samson cult carried out a vigil on social media platforms, writings were on the wall for the Rajasthan Royals captain. He would not be able to make a case before the World Cup. But is it his fault? Does a 71.33 average in the last 12 months mean nothing? Apparently, not.
Snubbed again
An injured Shreyas Iyer and a non-performing Suryakumar (only in ODIs) besides a left-hander Tilak Varma are still better options than Sanju Samson. While he seems to hit the brick wall in ODIs, there is hope in T20s, especially with T20 World Cup 2024 in June.
“It’s right to be disappointed. Everyone understands fans’ sentiments. But sentiments do not drive team selection. Ishan Kishan has been performing constantly and as a left-hander, he brings in a different dynamic. The team management has faith in Surya. He is the World No 1 T20 batsman for a reason. He can change the game single-handedly. Surya has a specific role to hit from the get-go at No 6. Whenever he gets an opportunity, that will be his role,” a senior BCCI official told InsideSport.
Then what’s next for Sanju Samson? Do not waste any opportunity in T20s. Sanju will be back in the five-match T20 series against Australia right after the World Cup. And he has to grab that opportunity with both hands, legs whatever he can spare.
“The door is always open for a player of Sanju’s calibre. He is not the first player. Even Rohit did not make it to World Cup squad in 2011. Selectors will be communicating to him. He should be back for the T20 series after World Cup. And he will remain a player of interest if there is any injury concerns in the team with KL and Ishan,” the official added.
For now, the only thing Sanju Samson could do is train, put up a happy face and wait for his opportunity. And when he gets one, break the door down with runs at any position he plays.
To his credit, Sanju has done everything he is required to. He has opened the innings, played in the top-order and in the middle-order, as a keeper and also as a fielder apart from carrying drinks. Now, the ball is in the selectors’ court.
Does Sanju Samson deserve a place in World Cup squad?
- The short answer is yes, of course.
- So far, it’s clear that, there is no specific role for him.
- In his 13-match ODI career, he has batted at No 3 twice, No 4 once, five times at No 5 and four times at No 6.
- As a finisher, he has definitely excelled. In four innings, he has scored 180 runs at an average of 90.00 including a career-best score of 86 and a strike rate of 117.65.
- His primary competitor Suryakumar Yadav has managed 134 runs in 6 innings at an average of 22.33 and a strike rate of 101.52.
- While the team management waited for KL Rahul and Shreyas Iyer to make a comeback, Sanju Samson went totally ignored. And in the limited opportunities, he still excelled.
But now, Samson and his clan have to move on and look at T20 World Cup as the next big tournament. For that, the five-match T20 series against Australia would be a good start. And of course, IPL 2024 will have more weightage for World Cup selection as it will be just before T20 WC.
But a few good scores here and there won’t cut it anymore. He has to be consistent for a longer period. The axe is hanging on him, no matter how many runs he scores at what strike rate, especially with Rishabh Pant slated for a comeback early next year. The time will always be ticking for Sanju Samson.
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