It is time to give Sanju Samson an extended opportunity in ODIs: Irfan Pathan

“Given Pant's ongoing recovery, it's time to give Sanju Samson an extended opportunity in one day cricket" he added.

Jun 24, 2023 - 18:14

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It is time to give Sanju Samson an extended opportunity in ODIs: Irfan Pathan

Sanju Samson is one of those Indian white-ball cricketers who has never been a regular. After warming the bench in the New Zealand series last year, the stumper-batsman was dropped from the Bangladesh series, which caused social media to buzz and his admirers to criticize the selection committee.

The cricketer has been included in the national squad for the forthcoming ODI series against West Indies following a successful IPL campaign. Irfan Pathan, a former India international, has stated that since Rishabh Pant is presently injured, Samson should be given more consistent opportunities in the ODI squad. He praised the Kerala-born cricketer as a superb spin bowler and believes that he could prove to be an asset to the Indian team in the future.

"Given Pant's ongoing rehabilitation, it's time to give Sanju Samson a bigger chance in one-day cricket. With his skills as a middle-order wicketkeeper-batsman and outstanding spin-playing abilities, he could be a valuable addition," tweeted Pathan on Friday, June 23.

Shreyas Iyer has not been spotted; Jasprit Bumrah is anticipated to return from the Ireland series.

Shreyas Iyer, one of India's most influential players in 2022, has been sidelined for a considerable amount of time due to injury, having missed the recently concluded IPL, WTC final, and the forthcoming series against West Indies.

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As the player is presently at the NCA, working on his fitness, there is no confirmation regarding his possible return. He is expected to take the field shortly in preparation for the forthcoming ODI World Cup. Depending on how swiftly he recovers from his stress fracture, ace pacer Jasprit Bumrah is expected to rejoin the national team for the upcoming Ireland series.