Sanju Samson responded to the growing debate over India’s opening combination with a clear message after producing a match winning performance against Afghanistan in the second T20I. With 15 year old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi waiting for an opportunity and Abhishek Sharma already established at the top, the competition for the two opening positions has become a major talking point.
The performance came at an important time for Samson, whose position has been discussed extensively since Sooryavanshi’s emergence. The teenager had featured in India’s first two T20Is on the England tour before Samson returned to the side. ‘I think they (Sooryavanshi and Abhishek Sharma) are competitors for the outside world, but we are a team, and we are playing for our country. We want to win the game first, and then it comes down to the other individuals. We cannot sulk or be in a negative frame of mind, thinking, ‘Oh, I did not get it, why was it given to him? ‘I try to switch the Wi-Fi off. But sometimes the Wi-Fi gets switched on, and comments become visible. So I think it is very normal.
Samson Puts Team Before Selection Debate India chased down Afghanistan’s 159/8 in the second T20I at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, reaching 163/3 in 14.5 overs to take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three match series. Samson provided the foundation for the chase with a spectacular 57 from only 22 deliveries, while Abhishek Sharma contributed 39. Samson’s explosive 57 has added another layer to India’s selection discussion, but captain Shreyas Iyer has indicated that the team could rotate players for the third T20I after securing the series. That leaves the possibility of Sooryavanshi receiving another opportunity on September 17.
Asked about the competition involving himself, Abhishek and Sooryavanshi, Samson said the players inside the squad are focused on India’s results rather than individual selection battles. Those kinds of mindsets do not work here,’ Samson told reporters in the post-match press conference. Some senior player says something.
