India is all set to host Australia for a three-match ODI series just before the Cricket World Cup 2023. This series will be part of the final preparations for both teams before the mega event starts. The Indian selection committee, led by Ajit Agarkar, announced India’s squad for the coming ODIs.
It saw a few senior players rest from the first two ODIs, with KL Rahul leading the team. The likes of Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Hardik Pandya, and Kuldeep Yadav will be back for the third and final ODIs on September 27.
Some other big decisions were also taken. Veteran off-spinner Ravi Ashwin is back with the squad, and he will be playing all three games for India. It hints at a possible inclusion for Ashwin in the World Cup squad, as Axar Patel is not completely fit.
But the biggest talking point for the squad was the exclusion of Sanju Samson. The wicketkeeper batter wasn’t included in the squad, despite being the backup keeper for the Asia Cup 2023. India included Tilak Varma, Ruturaj Gaikwad, and Suryakumar Yadav for the Australian ODIs but ignored Samson once again.
This didn’t end well, and many former cricketers, including Irfan Pathan and Sreesanth, questioned the BCCI. Fans were also unhappy with the consistent ignorance of Samson by the team. The star-keeper himself was pretty disappointed after missing out on the squad. He took to his Facebook account and posted a cryptic message.
He posted a smiley on his FB profile as a reaction to his snub. Samson has been part of the team for a while but hasn’t had consistent chances. He has played 13 IODIs since making his debut in 2021 and scored 390 runs at an average of 55.71 and a strike rate of 104 with three half-centuries. Despite that, he hasn’t gotten the chance he deserved.
