IND vs AUS: No One Would Wanna Be In Sanju Samson's Shoes Right Now: Robin Uthappa

Published - 19 Sep 2023, 04:04 PM | Updated - 23 Aug 2024, 09:50 AM

Sanju Samson
Sanju Samson [PC: PTI]

Sanju Samson, on Monday (September 18), suffered yet another setback in his career as he failed to make the cut for the upcoming three-match ODI series against Australia. Last month, he was also not named in the India squad for the recently-concluded Asia Cup 2023.

After the Asia Cup snub, it became very clear that he would not be a part of the Indian team for the World Cup. As a result, many expected him to be a part of the second-string team picked for the Asian Games. However, he was not included in that squad.

And on Monday, the Ajit Agarkar-led selection panel decided against picking him in the team for the series against Australia despite a number of key players being rested. Captain Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Hardik Pandya, and Jasprit Bumrah have been rested for the first two games of the three-match series.

Sanju Samson had traveled with the Indian team to Sri Lanka for the Asia Cup as a backup wicketkeeper and must have fancied his chances of earning a recall in the absence of some key players. But instead of giving Sanju Samson another chance, the selectors have decided to give it to youngsters such as Ruturaj Gaikwad and Tilak Varma. Both players are part of the Indian team for the first two ODIs before they will leave for China for the Asian Games.

Robin Uthappa on Sanju Samson???s condition:

The selectors??? decision to leave Sanju Samson from the Indian squad for the upcoming three-match ODI series against Australia has caused quite a stir in the Indian cricket fraternity. Many believe that it is a huge setback for the wicketkeeper-batsman and the selectors have decided to move on.

Former India batsman Robin Uthappa has similar views too. Soon after the India squad was announced, Robin Uthappa took to X (formerly Twitter) to share his views on Sanju Samson???s condition. Uthappa said that not being a part of the squad would be disheartening for the wicketkeeper-batsman, writing: ???No one would wanna be in Sanju???s shoes right now!! ?

???The justification could be that even if he was in the squad he wouldn???t get a game. But not even being in the squad would be quite disheartening,??? he added.

India squad for first two ODIs: KL Rahul (captain), Shubman Gill, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shreyas Iyer, Ishan Kishan, Suryakumar Yadav, R Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, J Bumrah, M Siraj, M Shami, Tilak Varma, Prasidh Krishna, R Ashwin, Washington Sundar

India squad for 3rd ODI: Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Ishan Kishan, Suryakumar Yadav, R Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, J Bumrah, M Siraj, M Shami, Hardik Pandya, Virat Kohli, Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel (subject to fitness), R Ashwin, Washington Sundar