“He has more shots than any other Indian”: Ravi Shastri reckons Sanju Samson is a definite inclusion in team India squad for T20 World Cup in Australia

Ravi Shastri reckons Sanju Samson has it in him to play on the bouncy Australian tracks during the T20 World Cup in Australia this year.

When the team India squad for the imminent five-match T20I series versus South Africa was announced last month, fans and experts expressed their disappointment over the exclusion of the top-order batters in Rahul Tripathi and Sanju Samson.

Samson in particular, not only ended up as Rajasthan Royals’ second-highest run-getter this season, but also led the franchise to an IPL final after 14 years. What made the fans root for his place in the Indian squad is the aggressive approach with which he commences his innings right away since his arrival at the crease.

Moreover, an ordinary run of form throughout this IPL season for Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, plus the conservative approach with which KL Rahul bats in T20 matches, also makes a case for someone like Samson at the top of the order who can provide the required pace and momentum to the innings within a short span of time.

Ravi Shastri reckons Sanju Samson as an automatic pick for upcoming T20 World Cup

Former team India batter and head coach, Ravi Shastri has also added weight to the sentiments of a significant section of fans, as he has rallied behind the 27-year-old’s inclusion in the team squad for the World Cup in Australia.

With the pitches in Australia likely to offer more bounce, pace and zip off the surface to the pacers, Shastri, during an interaction with ESPNCricinfo, reckoned that Samson, under the aforementioned conditions Down Under has more shots than any other batter in India presently.

“(Short ball discussion) it will come into play in these 20 games. Between Tripathi, Samson, and Iyer, there will be opportunities now. But when you look at Australia, bounce, pace, cut, pull, Samson will always threaten there. For that conditions, he has more shots than any other Indian, to be honest,” Shastri told ESPNcricinfo.

Samson’s overall T20I record, however, is not promising at all. Across 12 innings he has played in Indian colours, the Keralite batter has scored 174 runs at an average of 14.50, without any half-centuries under his belt.