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Ashwin warns Gambhir, Surya to avoid ‘circus’ around Sanju Samson amid rough patch: ‘Not ideal inside dressing room’
Sanju Samson scored just 6 and 10, struggling to convert starts, putting his spot and role under scrutiny as the series moves forward.
Sanju Samson heads into the third T20I against New Zealand with added scrutiny after modest returns in the first two outings. Back in the side as an opener, the India wicketkeeper-batter is yet to make an impact at the top of the order in the New Zealand series. He managed scores of 6 and 10, finding it difficult to settle and convert his starts, which has put his place and role under the scanner as the series progresses. With players like Ishan Kishan showing impressive signs with the bat, the pressure is mounting on Samson now to play a big knock to retain his opening position.
But veteran India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin doesn't think so. He weighed in on the ongoing debate over India’s opening slots, cautioning against making sudden changes despite recent form swings. The veteran all-rounder stressed that frequent chopping and changing of the lineup, especially between Samson and Ishan Kishan, could create unrest in the dressing room and disrupt team balance.
“It's way too early to think of dropping him. If India keeps doing such circus acts by playing Sanju when he did well before, and now Kishan because he's playing well now, I don't have to tell how it'll end for India. It's not ideal inside the dressing room. There is a lot of competition for places, but it's too early for this change,” Ashwin said on his YouTube channel.
“It'll be very unfair”
Ashwin came to Samson’s defence, saying it would be unfair to bench him after just two games in the revised opening combination. Ashwin pointed out that Sanju’s dismissal in the second T20I was simply the result of instinctive, attacking cricket and not a lapse in composure.
"It'll be very unfair. This opening combination has been reverted only for the last two games. A player has got out playing an attacking shot. If you penalize him for that and bench him, how will you witness the best of that player? It wasn't that there was a rush of blood or that he wasn't calm. He just saw the ball and went for it ( 2nd T20I dismissal). That's how you should instinctively bat, but it just didn't go his way," said Ashwin.
