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In the absence of an injured Rishabh Pant, a comeback for Sanju Samson was on the cards as backup wicketkeeper-batter on Australia tour. However, the selectors leaned towards Dhruv Jurel who is yet to make his ODI debut. The Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee's decision did not sit well with former India opener and chief selector Kris Srikkanth. The 1983 World Cup winning member is not happy with Samson's treatment as the criteria keeps changing for him.
“Again very unfair. Sanju should have been there, considering he scored a century in his last ODI. So everyday the reason keeps changing for each individual. One day you make him bat at 5, then another day you make him open. Sometimes you send him at 7 or 8. How did Dhruv Jurel suddenly come in? Sanju may or may not feature in the 11 but he has to be given the first right of refusal,” said Srikkanth on his YouTube channel.
Agarkar explains why Samson didn’t make the cut
While Samson has been batting in the middle order even in T20Is, Agarkar said that his batting position in the ODIs is the reason behind his omission. The selectors wanted someone who can bat at a position similar to KL Rahul in the format.
“It’s more (due to) position (that he’s not in the squad). I mean, Sanju Samson bats at the top of the order. I think when he got a hundred, I think he batted number three, if I’m not wrong. Jurel usually bats low down the order. KL bats there as well. You’ve seen how good a player Dhruv is. So again, you’re looking at spots. I don’t think there’s room at the top again. So we’re looking at guys who can fit in those spots.
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“And obviously, Sanju at the moment in T20 cricket is batting there and we’re trying him there. But in one-day cricket, it’s a little bit different. So that’s basically the thought. It’s more the position than anything else,” Agarkar said in the press conference.
Samson’s ODI record, especially in middle order
Samson has played 16 ODIs so far and scored 510 runs from 14 innings at an average of 56.66. His strike rate is close to 100. He has one century and three fifties to his name. While his only ODI century came at no.3, he has a decent record batting at no.5 and no.6, given the sample size. At no.5, he has scored 116 runs from six innings at an average of 38.66. At no.6, he has scored 180 runs from four innings at an average of 90. He has batted at no.4 only once and scored 51 runs.
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