He has often been seen as a backup option but got a new lifeline under the Gambhir regime.
In a recent development, an Indian T20 star will miss the upcoming third round of Ranji Trophy 2024-25.
Despite being available to play, dynamic batsman Sanju Samson will not be in the Kerala lineup, a Kerala Cricket Association (KCA) official confirmed today (October 24), according to ESPNCricinfo. The 29-year-old, who recently scored a sensational century against Bangladesh, revealed that the Indian management asked him to play in the Ranji Trophy to be on the roster for red-ball cricket.
However, Samson will miss Kerala’s upcoming Ranji match against Bengal from October 26-29 as he will be undergoing treatment for a mucous cyst on his lower lip.
He has chosen to undergo the procedure to ensure he is fully prepared for India’s T20I series in South Africa this November.
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Sanju Samson receives the ‘long rope’ from the Indian management
The Kerala wicketkeeper-batsman, who debuted in T20Is in 2015 and ODIs in 2021, has often been considered a backup option for the national team due to his inconsistent performances.
However, under Gautam Gambhir’s new regime, Samson has got a new lifeline and the opportunity to evolve into an all-format batsman. India assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate also revealed that Gambhir has given a “long rope” to Sanju Samson, hinting that the batsman will get management backing in case of some bad outings.
Kerala might therefore have to do without Samson in the long term, at least for the time being, because he is likely to be picked for the T20Is in South Africa, which start on November 8 and end on November 13, leaving him not available for matches against Uttar Pradesh (November 6-9) and Haryana (November 13-16).
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