Former India player Mohammad Kaif has shared that there is no place for Sanju Samson in the Asia Cup squad as India already have two keeper-batters in the team – Rishabh Pant and Dinesh Karthik. Kaif also stated that there is no guarantee of even Karthik fitting into the playing XI as well. However, Samson was dropped from the squad for the Asia Cup despite his impressive performances in the white-ball series recently. Even, Ishan Kishan too was dropped as well, who has also been in good form in the T20s.
While speaking to the Hindustan Times, he explained: “How many wicketkeepers can we even take? We have Rishabh Pant, Dinesh Karthik. This is the problem for the selectors. You talk about Virat Kohli, KL Rahul or Rohit Sharma. Suryakumar Yadav is set at no. 4 with Pant at No. 5, Pandya at No. 6, and then there is Dinesh Karthik also. Will he get a chance? We don’t know that yet. There is stiff competition in the Indian team right now. I would tell Sanju Samson to perform good when given the chance. He did good in the West Indies, where he played match-winning knocks. If you play match-winning knocks, then you make your name.”
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However, he impressed with the bat and gloves during the white-ball tour of the West Indies. He smashed 54 in the second ODI and a crucial 30 not out in the fourth T20I as well. Mohammad Kaif also praised Dinesh Karthik for his ability to finish matches.
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“Why does everyone still talk about Dinesh Karthik? He bats lower down the order and has also finished many matches. He was there till the last over, he was there to play the winning hit in the last over. This stays in the head and everyone wants a match-winner, someone who can win you a game. Samson has performed well recently against the West Indies and he will get his chance. These days, whenever a squad is made, his name is usually there. It’s good that he is there. The competition is a lot so it is not an easy job for the selectors,” Mohammad Kaif concluded.
