India's squad for the 2023 Asia Cup was announced on Monday and among the many talking points was the inclusion of Sanju Samson as just a backup option. Samson had a mixed outing with India in recent matches that he played against the West Indies. While he failed to make a mark in the T20I series, Samson got just to play just two of the three matches in the preceding ODI series.
While he was dismissed for just nine runs in the second ODI, he scored 51 in just 41 balls in a match that India won by a whopping 200 runs. India great Sunil Gavaskar has said that Samson may have made the squad had he performed more consistently in recent matches. The other big talking point was the exclusion of Yuzvendra Chahal from the squad.
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Gavaskar said that in both cases, the players may have missed out on more than one factors as opposed to it being just a matter of form. “If Sanju Samson had got more runs then he would have been a certainty in the team. So also with Chahal. But sometimes you are looking at the balance of the team. The selectors are sometimes hamstrung by the fact that they are looking at different aspects like fielding and what they can do with the bat,” said Gavaskar on India Today.
“Kuldeep Yadav is a better batter than Kuldeep down the order, maybe that's why he gets the nod ahead of Chahal. In terms of Samson as well, because of the fact that he is an all-rounder as he can keep wickets as well. These are the factors that selection committee will look at. Sanju Samson is only 29 so I don't think that this is going to be his last World Cup. There is plenty of time for him to get into the Indian team. I think it is a very good side and we should back them,” he said.
Chahal reacts to the snub
{{/usCountry}}“Kuldeep Yadav is a better batter than Kuldeep down the order, maybe that's why he gets the nod ahead of Chahal. In terms of Samson as well, because of the fact that he is an all-rounder as he can keep wickets as well. These are the factors that selection committee will look at. Sanju Samson is only 29 so I don't think that this is going to be his last World Cup. There is plenty of time for him to get into the Indian team. I think it is a very good side and we should back them,” he said.
Chahal reacts to the snub
{{/usCountry}}Chahal reacted to the news online with a message that captain Rohit Sharma had posted after he had not been named in India's squad for the series against England in 2018. Chahal's cryptic tweet soon became the talk of the town. "Tough one to take, yes. Stay at it. The sun will rise again. We Keep Trying," a Twitter user extended his support to Chahal. "Don't Worry Yuzi Bhaiya, the Best Is Yet To Come," another X user added.