“They might send him to No. 11 next!” »: Former Indian opener criticizes management of Sanju Samson’s batting role | Cricket News

NEW DELHI: Former Indian cricketer Kris Srikkanth has launched a fiery defense of Sanju Samson, saying the keeper-batsman has been unfairly treated despite proving his worth at the top of the order in T20 internationals.Go beyond borders with our YouTube channel. REGISTER NOW!Srikkanth, never one to mince his words, expressed his frustration over the constant change in Samson’s batting stance, which he said disrupted the Kerala cricketer’s rhythm and confidence.

“The guy who was unlucky is Sanju Samson,” Srikkanth said on his YouTube channel. “He used to score centuries as an opener. But now they are sending him everywhere – from No.1. 3 to No. 8. If they get the chance, they can also send it to No. 11! A person like Sanju will naturally feel bad after doing so well at the top, but he has no choice but to keep a low profile and strike wherever the team asks him to.Since India’s triumph in the 2024 T20 World Cup, Samson has been one of their most explosive openers, smashing three centuries and averaging 37 with a strike rate of 183 in just 13 innings. His partnership with Abhishek Sharma at the top has been instrumental in India’s new aggressive T20 model.

However, with Shubman Gill returning to the T20I setup during the Asian CupSamson was pushed back down the order – batting three times at No. 5, once at No. 3, and not even managing to bat until No. 8 against Bangladesh. Despite the inconsistency, Samson played a crucial role in the Asia Cup final, scoring a valuable 21-ball 24 in India’s tense last-gasp win over Pakistan.Srikkanth, although critical of Samson’s treatment, remains optimistic about his future. “The only good thing is that he did well at No. 5 in the Asia Cup. It’s a good sign because Sanju is now the automatic choice as the first wicketkeeper for the T20 World Cup,” he said.Looking ahead, the former India opener predicted that the XI that played the first T20I against Australia in Canberra is “more or less the World Cup team”, with Hardik Pandya replacing Harshit Rana.“The team is almost ready,” concluded Srikkanth. “Now it’s just about training and getting into rhythm before the World Cup.”