Danish Kaneria believes Sanju Samson should have booked his berth for the imminent Asia Cup 2022 as India’s second wicket-keeper batter.
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Former Pakistan leg-spinner Danish Kaneria has opined that India’s wicket-keeper batter KL Rahul has been included in India’s squad for the imminent Asia Cup 2022 too early, especially after recovering back from a big injury.
India and Pakistan start as favourites as the arch-rivals are scheduled to face each other on the second day of the tournament – August 28, at the Dubai International Stadium. Fans and experts from both the countries have been brainstorming they way to envisage a best playing XI for both the teams, as the they are set to clash for the first time since the 2021 T20 World Cup last year.
Team India, in particular, face a dilemma of sorts with respect to a couple of selections in their batting department, but Kaneria believes that the star Karnataka batter should have been given some extra time to hit his form back, with the T20 World Cup in Australia in view.
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Danish Kaneria believes Sanju Samson should have booked his berth
Danish Kaneria, during an interaction with the media outlet News18, remarked that Sanju Samson should have been preferred over Rahul in team India’s squad for Asia Cup 2022.
As per the 41-year-old, Samson has finally started getting the opportunities, after having been in and out of the team way to quickly. However, the Kerala wicket-keeper batter has finally been included consistently in India’s playing XI this year in the shortest format, thanks to head coach Rahul Dravid who, as per him, recognizes the talent that he is.
Thus, owing to his decent enough performances this year in T20Is, Kaneria believes that Samson should have made it into the squad in place of Rahul, with the latter been ideally handed some more time to prepare for the T20 World Cup in Australia this year, where his technique would come handy for the team.
“KL Rahul was coming from a big injury and then he went to Zimbabwe, and now he is going into Asia Cup squad so early. India have Sanju Samson type of a player who’s been doing so well. He is a fantastic cricketer and he’s been playing beautifully. In Australia, there will be buoyant tracks and KL Rahul loves that kind of a track. India should have let him come in his form, but the thing is that he is a big name and if he wouldn’t have been in the team, then the whole media would have argued, why KL Rahul didn’t get selected?,” remarked Kaneria.
“But, from cricket perspective, Sanju Samson should have been in the squad for the Asia Cup in place of KL Rahul because Rahul is just coming from his injury, and he needs to get his form back,” he further added.
Sanju Samson in T20Is this year
Samson has played a total of five T20Is this year against Sri Lanka, Ireland, and West Indies. While he smashed his maiden T20I half-century (77 off 42) versus Ireland in Dublin, he also smashed a couple of crucial thirties against Sri Lanka and West Indies.
