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Cricket Players'He gets chances because Dravid knows him well': Kaneria wants axed India batter to play Asia Cup 2022 ahead of KL Rahul
The Asia Cup will be KL Rahul's second assignment with India since coming back from a lengthy injury that saw him being unavailable for selection since the end of the 2022 IPL.
KL Rahul was reinstated as India's vice-captain as soon as he was available for selection and will play in the Asia Cup in the role. The tournament will be just his second assignment with the Indian team since coming back from an injury that forced him to be out of action since the end of the 2022 Indian Premier League in May.
His first assignment was as captain of the Indian team in their three-match ODI series in Zimbabwe. While India won the series 3-0, Rahul himself had a rather forgettable series, scoring just 31 runs in three innings. Former Pakistan spinner Danish Kaneria is of the opinion that while there is no doubt that Rahul would play for India in Australia for the T20 World Cup later this year, they should have given Sanju Samson a go in the Asia Cup.
“KL Rahul was coming from a big injury and then he went to Zimbabwe, and now he is going into Asia Cup squad so early. India have Sanju Samson type of a player who’s been doing so well. He is a fantastic cricketer and he’s been playing beautifully. Samson didn’t get consistent opportunities to play for team India. He was in and out of the squad and now he is getting opportunities because Rahul Dravid knows him so well, and he knows, what a talent he is," said Kaneria on Cricketnext.com.
Samson played twice in Zimbabwe, scoring a total of 58 runs. He scored an unbeaten 43 off 39 balls in the second ODI. “In such a case, Sanju Samson should have got the opportunity of playing in the Asia Cup and KL Rahul should have been given some time so that he can focus on T20 World Cup to be played in Australia. In Australia, there will be buoyant tracks and KL Rahul loves that kind of a track.
“India should have let him come in his form, but the thing is that he is a big name and if he wouldn’t have been in the team, then the whole media would have argued, why KL Rahul didn’t get selected? But, from cricket perspective, Sanju Samson should have been in the squad for the Asia Cup in place of KL Rahul because Rahul is just coming from his injury, and he needs to get his form back,” said Kaneria.
