Delhi: Despite playing well in the given opportunities, Sanju Samson remained on the bench as the Indian team competed against New Zealand in the third ODI in Christchurch. This has left veteran players, experts and even fans questioning the reason behind it.
Samson played in the opening ODI against New Zealand in Auckland and contributed to India’s first ODI total of 306 runs by scoring 36 runs off of 38 balls. However, Deepak Hooda took Sanju Samson’s place in the next matches.
Samson’s situation was described as ‘unfortunate’ by Hardik Pandya, who headed the Indian team in the T20I series, and his exclusion was due to strategic reasons.
In the 3rd ODI match, Pant could score only 10 from 16 balls which irked the cricket fans.
#WeWantSanjuSamson and #JusticeForSanjuSamson have been trending on Twitter on Wednesday November 30.
Samson’s continued absence infuriated several people, most notably Congress Member of Parliament from Thiruvananthapuram Shashi Tharoor, as team India kept their team unchanged for the third ODI against New Zealand in Christchurch. ““Pant has done well at No. 4, so it is important to back him,” says @VVSLaxman281.He’s a good player out of form who’s failed in ten of his last 11 innings; Samson averages 66 in ODIs, has made runs in all his last five matches & is on the bench. Go figure. @IamSanjuSamson,” Tharoor added.
One more failure for Pant, who clearly needs a break from white-ball cricket. One more opportunity denied to @IamSanjuSamson who now has to wait for the @IPL to show that he’s one of the best too-order bats in India. #IndvsNZ https://t.co/RpJKkDdp5n
— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) November 30, 2022
“One more failure for Pant, who clearly needs a break from white-ball cricket. One more opportunity denied to @IamSanjuSamson who now has to wait for the @IPL to show that he’s one of the best too-order bats in India. #IndvsNZ,” he added.
Another user wrote, “I feel it’s @BCCI’s dirty trick sitting #SanjuSamson consecutively in bench without even allow him to play his domestic cricket and demoralise him as a batter.”
“Rishabh Pant failed 10 of his last 11 ODI inns “it is important to back him,” says @VVSLaxman281. Whereas Sanju Samson averages 90+ in last 8 ODIs, has made runs whenever he got the opportunity is on the bench. If this is not politics then what it is ?,” said a user.
“Sanju Samson has been dropped once again. He has only played one out of six games in the tour against newzealand. This is politics between rishabh and bcci !!,” was another response.
