Sanju Samson’s inclusion in India’s ODI squad for the upcoming series against West Indies has sparked a discussion about his consistency in white-ball cricket, according to former Indian wicketkeeper Saba Karim.
Karim believes that Samson’s inconsistency with the bat has hindered his chances of regular selection, unlike players like Suryakumar Yadav and Shreyas Iyer. As the World Cup approaches, India’s number four conundrum resurfaces, and Samson becomes an option for the selectors to consider.
In an interview with News24 Sports, Karim was asked about Samson’s potential inclusion in the ODIs and T20Is against West Indies. He stated that the batsman needs to exhibit consistency, similar to Yashasvi Jaiswal and Tilak Varma in IPL 2023.
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“While there is a current shortage of players, I want Sanju Samson to be part of the XI and perform consistently, challenging the players currently in the team. Unfortunately, Sanju Samson hasn’t been able to do that,” said Saba Karim.
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Karim further highlighted Samson’s sporadic performances in the IPL, stating, “If you observe his IPL performances as well, he has shown occasional brilliance. However, what I want to see is the same level of consistency that Yashasvi Jaiswal and Tilak Varma have displayed this year, which is still missing in Samson’s game.”
Although Samson has played 11 ODIs, scoring 330 runs at an impressive average of 66.00, his T20I record is less remarkable, with only 301 runs in 17 matches at an average of 20.06.
“I have high expectations from Samson because he possesses the skills, but unfortunately, his inconsistency at times has prevented him from securing a place in the Indian team,” emphasized Saba Karim, highlighting the significance of consistent performances to regain favor with the selectors.