Famous commentator Aakash Chopra feels that Team India have given Sanju Samson another chance for the upcoming T20Is against Sri Lanka because there is a certain “spark” in him. He has played 10 T20Is for India since 2015, but has managed just 117 runs at an average of 11.70 as well. While speaking on the selection via a video on his YouTube channel, Aakash Chopra said Samson might even play the first T20I as well.
He explained: “It’s alright. You (India) just want to give him another chance in T20 cricket. It’s not like you haven’t given him any chances. You have but he hasn’t made the most of them. You are giving him another chance because you see a spark in him, you feel he can do something. If Ishan Kishan doesn’t have a good day again tomorrow, I won’t be surprised by a change [for the Sri Lanka T20Is]. Then you might open with Ruturaj Gaikwad and Rohit Sharma and play Sanju Samson at No. 3.”
While talking about the prospect of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli opening again for India, he brushed the subject aside, saying that there are plenty of openers available.
READ HERE: India will struggle if Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma don’t score, says Mohammad Hafeez
He remarked: “They can but what will they do with so many openers? You also have KL Rahul, we are talking about shunting him down the order as well, there’s Ishan Kishan, Ruturaj Gaikwad, even Venkatesh Iyer is an opener who’s being played lower down the order. I don’t think Kohli and Rohit are going to open in T20Is. Kohli is going to bat at 3, Rohit is going to open. There will be a question on who will open alongside Rohit but we will not be able to see these two stalwarts open together again.”
“Ravindra Jadeja, he’s come back. With his inclusion, your batting gets bolstered because if you get Venkatesh Iyer followed by Ravindra Jadeja and then Yuzvendra Chahal then you have two good spinners as well. Then you can either play three spinners with Ravi Bishnoi or play extra fast-bowlers. Jaddu at 6 provides a phenomenal opportunity,” Aakash Chopra stated.
He also believes Ajinkya Rahane and Cheteshwar Pujara getting dropped from India’s Test squad does not mean the end of the road for them as well. He shared: “Rahane and Pujara are not there. India have started moving in a slightly different direction. It’s not the end of the road but they are not part of the team as of now. It means they will have to go back to first-class cricket, score runs there and make an attempt to come back.”
READ HERE: Gary Kirsten all set to work with Hardik Pandya
“They will not come back this year, they can come back next year because this year all the series are in India except the one Test in England. So nothing is going to happen there. If you leave out such big players, you don’t bring them back in 15 days.”
“The sort of fast bowling group that is getting ready, I think that’s it for Ishant Sharma as well. Both of them have played extremely well, wish you very well. I am not saying they should retire but the Indian team will not look towards them in a hurry. If you might see Pujara and Rahane in a year or so, they will take more time than that,” Aakash Chopra concluded.
