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WI vs IND | Will Sanju Samson Play Today? Ex-Opener Drops a Huge Hint

image-lknwlmkfSamson's exclusion from the 1st ODI squad sparked debate [Twitter]

In the buildup to the second ODI of the ongoing West Indies series, all eyes are on the return of Sanju Samson to the Indian squad. After nearly nine months since his last ODI appearance in November 2022, Samson's inclusion in the squad sparked discussions and speculations surrounding his role as a wicketkeeper-batsman.

However, the excitement surrounding Samson's return was dampened by a critical observation from former India opener, Aakash Chopra. The seasoned cricket analyst expressed his concerns over the team's batting order strategy and its impact on the utilisation of Samson's talent.

Chopra's words were direct and pointed, stating that the Rajasthan Royals cricketer may not feature in the 2nd ODI due to the existing issues within the middle order. 

In his analysis, he highlighted the missed opportunity to field Ishan Kishan at number four in the first ODI, which subsequently affected Samson's chances to make an impact. Additionally, he included his thoughts on Surya Kumar Yadav's position in the middle order.


Here' s what Chopra said

“There might be a question in your mind that can Sanju play. Sanju Samson will not be able to play because only one match has happened, you couldn’t play him in the first match and you couldn’t get Ishan Kishan to bat at No. 4 as well.”

“You are thinking about Surya Kumar Yadav to bat at No. 6 at the moment. So no matter how much outrage is there, this story is not going to fly at this point in time. It is a slightly unfortunate fact that Sanju Samson will not get a chance.” 

Despite Samson's impressive performances in the 50-over format in 2022, where he notched up two fifty-plus scores and maintained an impressive average of 71, a knee injury forced him to miss India's initial ODI assignment in 2023 against Sri Lanka.

The Kerala batter's return to the 1st ODI was highly anticipated, but uncertainties surrounding the team's batting order strategy have raised doubts about his immediate playing opportunities.