IND vs IRE: Aakash Chopra Believes Sanju Samson's Poor T20I Performances Do Not Help His Selection In The Indian Team

Former Indian cricketer Aakash Chopra highlighted that middle-order batter Sanju Samson has failed to make an impact in T20I matches for the Men in Blue. Aakash Chopra said that Sanju Samson’s underwhelming performances don’t help his selection for the national team in the short format.

Sanju Samson managed to score just 32 runs in three innings with a disappointing average of 10.67 in the recently concluded five-match T20I series against the West Indies. The 28-year-old played as a specialist batter in the first two games and kept wickets in the last three games of the series.

T20 Numbers Are Not Flattering At All – Aakash Chopra

In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Aakash Chopra pointed out that Sanju Samson had been average with the bat in the last few editions of the Indian Premier League (IPL).

“He has played 22 T20Is, scored 333 runs at an average of 18, one half-century, best is 77 – not really good numbers. You should never mix T20I numbers with the IPL numbers because you get the wrong picture. I have taken out his IPL numbers, just to get an understanding of what he has been doing in T20s,” Chopra said.

“In IPL 2023, he scored three half-centuries, had a good strike rate of 153 and an average of 30, which is actually not bad. If we see the previous year, scored 458 runs at an average of 28 with two half-centuries, which is a middling kind of season. T20 numbers are not flattering at all,” he added.

Sanju Samson’s Story Is About Potential – Aakash Chopra

Aakash Chopra acknowledged Sanju Samson‘s impressive numbers in ODI cricket, pointing out that the sample size is slightly small.

“ODI stats are actually very good. He has played only 13 matches, hasn’t played them at a stretch and has batted up and down the order, scored 390 runs and in that he has scored three half-centuries, the strike rate is 104 and the average is 55. ODI numbers are looking good but the sample size is slightly small,” he further added.

“Why does everyone want Sanju Samson to be played? Not that the numbers are forcing you to play him. Sanju’s story is about potential. Sanju’s story is about just the aesthetics. When he plays well, it seems like no one plays better than him,” he concluded.

The Kerala wicketkeeper-batter has been included in the three-match T20I series against Ireland, scheduled to start on August 18. Jasprit Bumrah and Yuzvendra Chahal are the other potential candidates for India’s squad in the Asia Cup 2023.

Also read: IND vs IRE: “You Will Have To Bat Sanju Samson Up The Order If You Have To Get The Best Out Of Him” – Aakash Chopra