“Leaving out Sanju Samson was a wrong decision” - Ex-Indian cricketer slams selectors

Former Indian cricketer Mohammad Kaif has slammed the Indian selection committee, led by Ajit Agarkar, for omitting the keeper-batter Sanju Samson in the Indian ODI squad for the forthcoming three-match ODI series against Australia Down Under, starting on October 19.

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Speaking on his YouTube channel, Kaif went on to heap praises on Dhruv Jurel for his exceptional century against the West Indies in the first Test in Ahmedabad. However, he felt that Samson is a much better option than Jurel at the moment for the white-ball formats.

“I feel that Dhruv Jurel played really well when he scored that century (against WI). He looked very compact and organized, and he is definitely the future of Indian cricket. He has the ability to score in every match. But leaving out Sanju Samson was a wrong decision because Sanju usually plays in the lower order, around number 5 or 6, and for that position, he is a much better option than Jurel,” Kaif said on his YouTube channel.

Furthermore, Kaif also asserted that Samson’s ability to clear boundaries with ease, especially against spinners, makes him a standout batter ahead of other keeper-batters, adding that he has been a consistent performer.

“At that spot, you need someone who can hit sixes, especially against spinners. We saw Sanju Samson’s strength in the Asia Cup. If he had gone to Australia, he would have hit Adam Zampa for maximums. He’s in the top 10 for most sixes in the IPL, and he fits perfectly at number 5 or 6 in Australian conditions,” Kaif added.

“Right now, we tend to focus only on current form, like how well Jurel played recently, and in doing so, we forget players like Sanju who have been performing consistently and are deserving,” he concluded.

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