India’s flashy and impressive batter Sanju Samson is probably going to be out of the next T20I series as the team management does not seem to be looking at him anymore. The change has been evident since the beginning of the year when Shubman Gill was brought back to the team for the Asia Cup T20, made vice-captain, and went on to replace Samson as the opening partner of Abhishek Sharma. On the other hand, Samson has been relegated to the lower parts of the batting order, a decision that apparently has affected his rhythm and performance adversely.
The 29-year-old participated in the first two T20Is of India against Australia but for the rest of the games, the selectors have handed the responsibility to Jitesh Sharma; hence he has been dropped. Former India cricketer Mohammad Kaif thinks that Samson is on the sidelines while the management is busy grooming Gill for the future leadership role. To be precise, Gill is already captaining India in both Tests and ODIs.
‘Samson has been overshadowed by Gill’s leadership role,’: Mohammad Kaif
"If Shubman Gill was not there in the team, then Sanju Samson would have played. There is no confusion about it," Kaif said on his YouTube channel. "Since Shubman Gill has come into the team as a vice-captain, he is playing all the matches. On picking one between Samson or Jitesh Sharma for the middle order, they are thinking Jitesh is a better choice to bat at number 5 or 6, since the latter plays at that position in the Indian Premier League as well."
Kaif further added, "As the team is aiming to groom Gill as a future captain and player, Sanju Samson has been overshadowed. Jitesh is going to play at number 5 or 6."
He also pointed out that Samson’s omission is not due to poor performance but rather the team’s changing batting strategy. "Sanju's record is excellent, a strike rate of around 150. But they are backing players by their position in batting order," Kaif noted.
Meanwhile, India clinched a 48-run win in the fourth T20I against Australia to take a 2-1 lead in the five-match series. The first game in Canberra was washed out, before Australia won the second in Melbourne. India bounced back with victories in Hobart and Queensland, with the series decider set to take place at The Gabba in Brisbane on November 8.
