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Indian wicketkeeper-batter Sanju Samson has been the latest to be surrounded by a huge controversy after he missed Kerala’s preparatory camp ahead of the Vijay Hazare Trophy (VHT). Despite Kerala Cricket Association (KCA) President, Jayesh George slamming the senior wicketkeeper-batter, India’s T20I skipper has backed him.
Speaking at the pre-match press conference in Kolkata ahead of the series opener, Suryakumar Yadav backed Sanju Samson to continue in the wicketkeeping role. The 34-year-old remarked that Sanju’s blistering form makes him an automatic selection in the Indian XI, despite Dhruv Jurel also being named in the squad for the five-match T20I series.
No question mark on the wicketkeeper: SKY on Sanju Samson
It is to be noted that Sanju Samson had a great T20I series in South Africa where he smashed back-to-back centuries. He also scored a hundred in the preceding T20I series against Bangladesh. When asked about Samson, SKY said, "There is no question mark on the wicketkeeper. Sanju has done really well in the last seven-eight games. He has shown what he is capable of."
The Indian middle-order batter also lauded the Indian keeper-batter for capitalising the opportunity as he said, "That is what we want from all the players. He has got the opportunity and he has really made use of it. I am really happy for him," he added.
Sanju Samson wasn’t a regular in the T20I side since Rohit Sharma, but came into picture after the Indian veteran announced retirement from the shortest format following India’s T20 World Cup 2024 triumph. In 13 T20Is last year, the Kerala wicketkeeper-batter amassed 436 runs at an average of 43.60, including three centuries and a fifty. He will return to action when India takes on England in the series opener in Kolkata on January 22.
India’s squad for T20I series against England
Suryakumar Yadav (C), Sanju Samson (wk), Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Rinku Singh, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Axar Patel (vc), Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, Mohammad Shami, Varun Chakaravarthy, Ravi Bishnoi, Washington Sundar, Dhruv Jurel (wk).