‘Samson is Eager for Opportunities… Never Question Jadeja’s Place’, Says Former Pacer Sreesanth

New Delhi: Former India pacer Sreesanth believes India should stick to the winning combination, but Sanju Samson would be the one change he would like to see in the playing XI.

After years of waiting and hard work for an opportunity to leave his mark on the global stage, Samson found it after being called to the India T20 World Cup squad. He led the Rajasthan Royals into the playoffs of the recently concluded Indian Premier League season on the back of his stellar performances with the bat and behind the stumps.

He featured in the warm-up match against Bangladesh as an opener but failed to leave his mark on the ticky New York surface.

During the first three games of the World Cup campaign, Samson remained confined to spectator duties. Along with Samson, youngster Yashasvi Jaiswal has been in the dugout, patiently waiting for his moment to shine in the tournament.
Sreesanth feels Jaiswal can enter the fray if the management decides to put up a different opening duo than the established stalwart duo of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. The former seamer feels the arrival of Jaiswal will give him more freedom to express himself, as he will be aware that Kohli will be next in line to take control of the escalating situation.

“Nobody wants to change the winning combination. I know Rahul bhai (Dravid), old school is the best school. So his thinking will be the same. RoKo (Rohit and Virat) will open. If they don’t open, then yes, instead of Dube, Jaiswal could come in. This will give more depth to the batting, and Jaiswal will get freedom because Virat Kohli, the legend, is at number three. So Jaiswal will have the freedom to express himself, which he would love to do,” Sreesanth, who features as an expert on Caught and Bold on Disney+ Hotstar, said while speaking exclusively to ANI.

On Samson’s inclusion, Sreesanth feels the right-handed batter could slot in for all-rounder Shivam Dube if he is not contributing with the ball. While lavishing praise on Samson as an all-round cricketer, Sreesanth believes that Samson’s presence would further strengthen the batting unit and add another layer of depth.

“If they are opening, I don’t see any reason to change the XI. Axar Patel is bowling well. If you look at Shivam Dube, yes, he hasn’t played well in the first two games, but we know what he can do with the bat. But I would like to see one change, and that is Sanju Samson come in the team. If Shivam Dube is not bowing, then Sanju should be given an opportunity; we know he is good enough. The other day, when I spoke to him, he was hungry to get that opportunity. The form he is in, and apart from wicketkeeping, he is a superman fielder. I feel Sanju comes in last along with Hardik Pandya and Ravindra Jadeja. I think we can finish on a big score if we are chasing, with Virat being the chase master king. I don’t see any score being that difficult for us to chase,” he added.

Dube’s position in the team has been up for debate after he failed to deliver with the bat against Pakistan and has bowled just one over in three matches. Apart from Dube, Ravindra Jadeja’s place in the team has also been in question by some sections of fans. He has hardly had any chance to perform with the bat, and even with the ball, Jadeja has had limited time to show his craft.

Sreesanth strongly believes that Jadeja’s place should never be questioned because he has proved his worth by producing match-winning performances in clutch moments over the years.

“I won’t say anything about Ravindra Jadeja; he is a match-winner. Let’s not forget and judge him; he is a match-winner. We have seen him perform for CSK or any other match. He comes out when there is pressure and stress. He plays a magical knock and delivers with the ball. He is also a gun fielder, so we should never question his place,” he stated.
After securing a spot in the Super 8, India will play their final group stage game against Canada in Florida on Saturday.