Former India player turned veteran commentator Aakash Chopra opened up on Sanju Samson has been left out of India’s squad for the ODI series against Sri Lanka because of improper transition. He also added that Gautam Gambhir shouldn’t be trolled for not picking Samson despite rating him highly a few years ago as well. However, Team India will face Sri Lanka in three T20Is and as many ODIs, with the first T20I to be played in Pallekele on July 27.
In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra said, “The problem is that you see quite often that the main team players don’t play between two World Cups. Then some youngster plays and when he does well, you feel he is very good and should be given opportunities but as soon as the senior player becomes available, the senior plays and the youngster is left out. If you see logically, it’s right because he was keeping the bench warm, but is it right? When the transition happens, a new coach, a new captain or a new selection committee, bridges are not built at times and there are gaps left in the middle. It’s that gap in Sanju Samson’s case because clarity of thought is not there as he had scored a century the last time he was played, so why he is not a part of the team now?”
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However, Sanju Samson played a 108-run knock as a specialist batter in the final ODI against South Africa in December last year as well. KL Rahul has been retained in the squad as well, with Rohit Sharma back at the helm as captain and Gambhir replacing Rahul Dravid as India’s full-time coach as well. Aakash Chopra also added that Gautam Gambhir cannot be criticized for praising Sanju Samson four years ago and not picking him now as well.
“There is an old Gautam Gambhir tweet that is going viral in which he said in 2020 that Sanju Samson is not only the best wicketkeeper-batter in India but is the most exciting young Indian batting talent. So is it right that you have done something else when it is in your hands? Firstly, it’s a four-year-old thing. That must have been the thought when he said it. It’s not that Sanju hasn’t played cricket after that. He has played a lot of cricket, T20Is and ODIs, and Gautam might have a different point of view now. So that is a possibility. Don’t troll Gauti based on what he said four years ago,” Aakash Chopra concluded.
