There is a lot of competition for the wicketkeeper spot in the Indian team ahead of the upcoming T20 World Cup, which begins just days after the final of the IPL 2024. Some of the top names that have been tipped for the wicketkeeper spot include Sanju Samson, KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant and Ishan Kishan.
Notably, RR skipper Sanju Samson led from the front on Sunday with a blistering knock of 71 off 33 balls to guide his team to a comfortable 7-wicket win over LSG in Lucknow. Meanwhile, LSG captain KL Rahul (76 off 48 balls) also scored a half-century, but his innings was far less impactful than his counterpart’s.
In fact, the RR skipper has been in superb form this season, amassing 385 runs in the 9 matches so far at a strike rate of 161.09 and an excellent average of 77. Samson’s biggest competition is DC captain Rishabh Pant, who has also been in exceptional touch this IPL season after not playing professional cricket for almost 1 ½ years following a fatal car accident.
While many cricket pundits have argued that Rishabh Pant should rightfully reclaim his place in the Indian middle order, others like former batsman Navjot Singh Sidhu have now come forward to say that Sanju Samson is the most preferred player for the wicketkeeper slot in the T-20 World Cup.
In an interaction with Star Sports, Sidhu said, “No. 1 is Sanju Samson, on form. This is a different Samson. If India finds themselves in situations where they need a spare opener or No. 4 batter or at No. 6, they you have KL Rahul, who is also in form. But I will still prefer Samson, followed by Rishabh Pant. He is coming out of an injury. Now, do you consider him as a white-ball specialist? His form is a bit patchy and scratchy, but he has survived the test so far. My preferences are these three,”
Netizens demand Sanju Samson’s inclusion in India’s T20 World Cup squad:
It’s not just former players who are calling for Samson’s inclusion in India’s T20 World Cup squad, fans on social media are more convinced than ever that the Kerala-born batsman should be included in the 15-man Indian squad for the World Cup in USA and West Indies.
After Samson’s 71-run innings on Saturday, a user on X (formerly Twitter wrote: “Reading all these tweets about #SanjuSamson makes me very happy. He has earned all this praise with sheer hard work. Not only does he deserve to be in the WC squad but he also deserves a long backing that most players in the Indian team got. He will be a big match winner.”
Another user while stating their opinion said, “Hopefully this roar will pierce the ears of the selector.”
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