Ex Indian cricketer questions Sanju being snubbed in Aus T20 series

Mumbai: Former Indian cricketer Aakash Chopra has questioned the team’s decision not to play Kerala wicketkeeper-batter Sanju Samson in the fourth match of the T20 series against Australia. Although wicketkeeper-batsman Sanju was promoted to number three in the second match and brought in to bat, he could not shine. He, who was entered to bat as one down, was dismissed for just two runs. He did not bat in the first match, which was abandoned due to rain.

Sanju was replaced by youngster Jitesh Sharma in the next two matches. Chopra commented on his YouTube channel that the decision to keep Sanju, who is in excellent form in the T20 format, out for the second consecutive match was surprising. Figures from the last T20 World Cup show that Sanju is the third-highest run-getter for India in this format. He, who had been in brilliant form in the opening match with Abhishek Sharma, scored three centuries last year. However, with the return of Shubman Gill to the T20 team, Sanju lost his opening position. Later, the batting position of the player was in the middle order, which he rarely played in his career.

Chopra said he doesn't understand what the management is doing with Sanju.

“The biggest question that is looming large is – what have we decided about Sanju Samson? Sanju not playing is a big, big, big question as to why we are doing like that. We played Sanju and he had done decently as well. I won’t say he had done extraordinarily, but he was okay. You made him bat up the order against Oman and he scored a fifty,” The Indian Express quoted Aakash Chopra.

“You played him in the (Asia Cup) final and he scored a few runs. You only told us that he can bat down the order. We were saying you should make him open only, and if you are not doing that, play Jitesh,” Chopra added.