Sanju Samson included in India XI for Pune T20I, fans say ‘thank you Virat Kohli’

IND vs SL: India made three changes for the match as Samson came in place of Rishabh Pant while Shivam Dube and Kuldeep Yadav made way for Manish Pandey and Yuzvendra Chahal respectively.

Wicket-keeper-batsman Sanju Samson was named in India XI for their third and final T20I against Sri Lanka at Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune on Friday. India made three changes for the match as Samson came in place of Rishabh Pant while Shivam Dube and Kuldeep Yadav made way for Manish Pandey and Yuzvendra Chahal respectively.

File image: Indian players Rishabh Pant, right and Sanju Samson. (AP)

Samson had been part of India’s T20I squad for quite sometime but he failed to break into the XI previously. He was in the 15-member squad against South Africa, Bangladesh and West Indies but had to be content with just warming the bench.

In recent times, Pant has found himself surrounded by intense scrutiny from fans due to inconsistent form with the bat and glouves. There was obvious delight among the fans after Samson was given the nod for third T20I against Sri Lanka and they let their feeling known on social media.

Samson last played a T20I for India against Zimbabwe in 2015 and he created an Indian record for most T20Is missed between two appearances. Overall, England’s Joe Denly holds the record as he missed 79 matches after playing a T20I in 2010 and then he was called back into the playing XI in 2018.

73: Sanju Samson

65: Umesh Yadav

56: Dinesh Karthik

India currently lead the three-match T20I series 1-0. The Virat Kohli-led side won the 2nd T20I by 7 wickets, while the first T20I was abandoned without a ball being bowled due to wet pitch.