Sreesanth is advocating for Sanju Samson's inclusion in India's T20 World Cup squad. He suggests that instead of displacing Rishabh Pant from the wicketkeeping role, Samson should be utilized as a pure batsman. Sreesanth believes that if Shivam Dube isn't providing bowling options, replacing him with Samson would be a strategic move, specifically utilizing Sanju as a finisher in the lower order.
Former Indian fast bowler Sreesanth has urged for wicket-keeper batsman Sanju Samson to be included in India’s playing XI for the remaining fixtures of the T20 World Cup. However, rather than replacing first-choice wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant, Sreesanth has suggested that Samson be played as a pure batsman instead of Shivam Dube. Sreesanth’s advice is conditional on the fact that if Shivam Dube does not bowl, Team India may be better off selecting Samson as a batsman. Sreesanth believes Samson should be considered as a finisher.
Sreesanth mentioned that if the opening pair of Rohit and Kohli remains, he's generally happy with the lineup, especially with Axar Patel's current form. He admitted that while Shivam Dube hasn't started strong in the first two games, his batting ability is undisputed. However, the one tweak he'd make is bringing Sanju Samson into the fold.
In Sreesanth's view, if Dube isn't bowling, it's time to give the talented Samson a chance. He shared that in a recent conversation, Samson expressed a strong hunger to play. Beyond his batting, Sreesanth highlighted his incredible fielding abilities. It's worth noting that both the former pacer and the batsman are from Kerala.
Sreesanth envisions Samson batting toward the end of the innings alongside Hardik Pandya and Ravindra Jadeja. He believes that with Virat Kohli's mastery of chasing, India can reach any target. The 41-year-old former bowler feels confident in the team's ability to hunt down any score. Up next, India will face Afghanistan in their opening Super 8 clash on Thursday, June 20, at the Kensington Oval in Barbados.