As the ODI World Cup 2023 draws near, India is in the final stages of solidifying their team composition, evident from their strategic decisions. Demonstrating their willingness to explore, both Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma were given rest in the last two ODIs against West Indies.
Despite the use of several less experienced players, India faced a loss in the second ODI but rallied remarkably to clinch victory in the third match.
An instrumental player in this turnaround was Sanju Samson, who not only contributed significantly but also notched up a fifty while batting in at number 4 position. Nevertheless, the experienced spinner Ravichandran Ashwin holds the opinion that there’s limited room for Samson within the top four slots for ODIs.
“Sanju Samson was another player who seized an opportunity, marking a half-century in the ODI series. During the T20I match, he achieved a score of 12 runs from 12 balls while fulfilling a role in the middle-order. Notably, in the context of the IPL, he often occupies the third or fourth batting position. It’s worth noting his commendable performance record in ODIs, characterized by a solid average and his recent fifty in the third ODI,” Ravichandran Ashiwn said in a video shared on his YouTube channel.
Ashwin further said that when it comes to Team India, the third and fourth batting positions remain occupied. He said Sanju’s impressive abilities and talents indicate that he has the potential to alter the game’s trajectory at any given moment, he’s a fine individual, and everyone’s desire is to see him succeed.
However, he added that the role that the team envision for Sanju within Team India differs. The top four spots do not have room for him and whether a place will open up for him following the World Cup, or perhaps one to two years afterward, remains to be seen.
According to him, Virat’s position at number 3 is fixed, while Rohit and Gill hold their positions as openers. Shreyas and KL are also certain selections when they are fit. As a contingency, the team requires a backup keeper-batsman. If either KL or Shreyas is unavailable, a backup is needed for positions 4 or 5.
Nevertheless, Sanju’s performance in the IPL hasn’t aligned with that role. He’s only recently started adopting that role in ODIs, where he’s managed to score a half-century. This development is positive both for Sanju and Team India. He siad that he believes that Sanju Samson will be a prominent figure in the backup plan for the ODI World Cup, and also mentioned about Tilak Varma’s progress.
India’s journey in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 commences on October 8 with a match against mighty Australia.
