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Cricket PlayersKL Rahul confirms Sanju Samson's role in South Africa ODI series, drops major hint on Rinku Singh's debut
Ahead of the series, Rahul, who will be leading India in the three-match ODI contest against South Africa, addressed Samson's role in the series.
Sanju Samson was in the reckoning for the ODI World Cup squad for as late as August when he was named in the Sri Lanka-bound Asia Cup team, albeit as a back-up for injured KL Rahul. However, with the later recovering for the Super Four stage, Samson was sent back home, and later was snubbed for the World Cup squad as well. After a gap of three months, Samson is back in the Indian side, once again for an ODI series, against South Africa starting Sunday at the Wanderers in Johannesburg. And ahead of the series, Rahul, who will be leading India in this three-match contest, addressed Samson's role in the series.
Injuries and inconsistent opportunities in the Indian team had denied Samson to stake his claim both in the T20 World Cup squad last year and the ODI World Cup team in 2023. However, the 29-year-old has a chance to make an outside case with India gearing up for the T20 World Cup in June. Although he was not recalled for either the Australia or the South Africa T20I contests which India played post the 50-over World Cup, Samson will be hoping to cause a selection headache through the ODI route with the Men in Blue slated to to play another T20I series in January at home against Afghanistan.
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Speaking to the media on the eve of the opening ODI match in Johannesburg, Rahul clarified that Samson will be batting in the middle-order, as it has long been his role in the Indian set-up, although he could not confirm whether he would get a wicketkeeping opportunity through the course of the three matches.
“Sanju will bat in the middle order. That is the role he has played whenever he has played ODI cricket. He will bat at No. 5 or 6. For now I am going to keep wickets, but if there is an opportunity for him in that role, he will definitely at some point in the series,” he said.
Rahul also talked about the chances of Rinku earning his maiden ODI cap in the series after a stellar show in the two T20I series he played where he scored 187 runs in 109 balls across six innings with a fifty.
“He has shown what a good player he is. We all knew how skilled he is having watched him in the IPL, but what has been really good to see has been the temperament he has shown in the T20I series, and the game awareness and calmness under pressure. It was refreshing to see. He has performed well across formats in domestic cricket, so yes he will get his opportunity,” Rahul added.
