Team India won the first ODI game in Barbados by five wickets with 163 balls to spare. The ending result suggests that India had a dominating performance, and they won an ODI with over 25 overs left. But the real story is totally different. In a small chase of 115 runs, the Indian top order fell like a pack of cards. Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli didn’t contribute much, but the batters, who are regular members of the ODI team, looked struggling.
Then there was a question on Sanju Samson’s omission. India gave a chance to Suryakumar Yadav in his place, who batted at no. 4 and scored 19 off 25 in the first ODI. But despite that, India had many problems in the middle order. Many fans thought that Samson was needed in the middle order. But why? Here are three reasons why Samson can be a better option than SKY in the 2nd ODI.
1. SKY vs SAMSON: ODI Stats
Well, stats never lie, whether you are part of any sport. After looking at the ODI careers of both Indian stars, it looks like Samson definitely has an edge. SKY made his ODI debut in July 2021 and has played 24 ODIs so far. He has scored 452 runs at a below-par average of 23.78, with only two half-centuries in 22 innings. On the other hand, Samson, who made his ODI debut in July 2021, has played only 10 innings so far. He has scored 330 runs at an average of 66, with a best of 86 not out.
2. Ability to Build long Innings
It is true that Suryakumar has unmatched skills when it comes to the shorter format, where you have to go after the bowling from the start. He has achieved unbelievably good results in T20Is as compared to any other player. But when it comes to building long innings and batting for a period of 15–20 overs, SKY has failed. In the absence of Shreyas Iyer, India has stuck with SKY, but he hasn’t gotten going so far. On the other hand, Samson has done it quite often at the domestic level and for his franchise as well. Notably, his 63-ball 86 not out against South Africa in a tricky chase indicates that he knows how to take the game deep when things are getting tight.
3. Like for Like replacement for Rishabh Pant
With no Rishabh Pant in the picture, India tried KL Rahul at No. 5, and the results were good. He has become a good option at No. 5 and also a wicketkeeper. Meanwhile, Samson can prove to be an ideal replacement at No. 5, who also keeps wickets. With India’s top three almost certain and Shreyas back at no. 4, India will need a wicketkeeper batter to bat at no. 5 or 6. Samson will be a perfect choice for that position as compared to Suryakumar.
