'It's Easy to Gain Sympathy': Sreesanth Lambasts Sanju Samson

image-lmwzvc3uSamson hasn't been able to cement his position the Indian team (x.com)

The decision of the BCCI to omit wicketkeeper-batter Sanju Samson from the ODIs against Australia caused a stir, especially as several mainstay players were given a rest.

Sreesanth weighs in on Samson's omission

The contention intensified given Samson's prior involvement in Asia Cup 2023 as a travelling reserve, only to be dismissed during the Super Four stage and then overlooked for the Australia series.

Public sentiment on social media largely opposed the decision, with many questioning the rationale behind sidelining Samson. While fans generally showed their support for Samson, former Indian cricketer S Sreesanth weighed in with a different perspective during a conversation with Sportskeeda.

Sreesanth implied that although cricket legends such as Ravi Shastri and Sunil Gavaskar respect Samson's skills, the batter's reluctance to modify his gameplay based on the pitch conditions might be limiting his opportunities.

“I think it's the right decision because it’s very important for a player to understand himself. From Gavaskar to Ravi Shastri, everyone rates him highly. There’s no doubt about his ability. But the approach… he doesn’t listen when someone asks him to play according to pitch. That attitude and approach he needs to change. That is why I keep telling him the same thing, even now when I meet him...read the wicket first and bat accordingly," said Sreesanth.



Drawing a parallel, Sreesanth mentioned Rishabh Pant, pointing out the southpaw’s consistently high scores. He noted that in contrast, Samson has not maintained such consistency, even though he's had significant opportunities against teams like Ireland and Sri Lanka. Furthermore, Sreesanth subtly reminded me that given Samson's age and tenure in cricket, expectations are naturally higher.

“We Malyalis, who support him always say that he doesn't get enough chances, but that isn't right. Because he got regular chances against Ireland and Sri Lanka. He has been playing IPL for the last 10 years, is now the captain, and has three hundreds to his name, but he hasn't shown consistency. Look at Rishabh Pant. He has scores of some 300s for his state team. You are not a 19-year-old; you are going to be 35 in no time. So use this remaining of the year," added the Indian veteran.

Sreesanth concluded by conveying that while public sympathy is easy to come by, genuine appreciation in the cricketing world is earned through consistent performances. With growing competition in the team, he hinted that Samson should act swiftly to secure his position.

“There are a lot of people coming. In Asian Games, there are two good keepers part of the Indian team. It is very easy to get sympathy from people, but what you need is appreciation which will come with consistent show for India,” concluded Sreesanth.