Sanju Samson has been one of the unluckiest cricketers in India. With all the goodness and talent that he has, the keeper-batsman has had limited opportunities and in that he too has not been able to make a mark, which has led to his omission.
Sanju Samson, however, is still in the Indian team’s scheme for the 2024 T20 World Cup, which will be played in the United States of America and the Caribbean in June. The wicketkeeper-batsman will have something to prove in the IPL and if he has a good season in the league he will definitely make it to the team.
However, it won’t be easy for him, considering the type of competition there is. With players like Jitesh Sharma, Ishan Kishan, KL Rahul and potentially Rishabh Pant, Sanju Samson will have to do something extraordinary to break into the team. The wicketkeeper-batsman did exactly that and surprised many.
During the Ranji Trophy Elite Group B match between Kerala and Bengal at St Xavier’s College Ground, Thumba in Thiruvananthapuram, Sanju Samson was seen waving his arm. The keeper-batsman for the second time in his career bowled in his Ranji career.
Mohammed Azharuddeen took the responsibility of keeping the ball when Sanju Samson took the ball, according to Hindustan Times. The keeper-batsman bowled one over and gave away only 11 runs without picking a wicket. Later, his team won the game by defeating Bengal by 109 runs.
Sanju Samson was not part of India’s squad for the T20I series against Australia at home followed by the series against South Africa. But he scored a magnificent century in the ODI series against Proteas and made the selectors pick him in the T20I series against Afghanistan.
Sanju Samson, however, could not turn the game around and got a golden duck. He will now hope to turn the tables in IPL 2024. He will be the captain of the Rajasthan Royals and, along with his batting, will look to help his team win the second title.
Sanju Samson cannot be ruled out – Suresh Raina
Former Indian cricketer Suresh Raina recently shared his opinion on Sanju Samson’s selection for the 2024 T20 World Cup. He believes that after that century he scored in South Africa, the wicketkeeper-batsman cannot be ruled out.
Suresh Raina pointed out that Sanju Samson can play middle-order shots and can be the X-factor for the team. In an interaction with Hindustan Times, he explained:
“Samson cannot be ruled out after the hundred he scored in the ODI match against South Africa. He is a fearless batsman, a good wicketkeeper and captaincy material. He has always performed whenever he is given the opportunity. Then there is Jitesh Sharma, KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant and Ishan Kishan.
There will be a great call. But he would prefer Samson because, in the middles, he takes excellent shots. I guess IPL will also play a crucial role in the selection process. It could be the X factor for India in the World Cup,” he explained.