IND vs SL: Sanju Samson Ruled Out Of The Remainder T20I Series, Jitesh Sharma Named Replacement

Indian wicketkeeper-batsman Sanju Samson has been ruled out of the remainder of the ongoing IND vs SL T20 series after hurting his knee in the first game. Notably, Sanju Samson notched up an injury in his right knee in the first T20I of the three-match series when the two sides met at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Tuesday.

Dasun Shanaka won the toss and invited the Men in Blue to bat first. Shubman Gill and Shivam Mavi were the debutants for the hosts. After an initial burst of runs, the Lankan spinners brought the visitors back in the game but a late flourish from Deepak Hooda and Axar Patel made sure team India posted a respectable total.

Sanju Samson Ruled Out Of IND vs SL T20I Series

Shivam Mavi had a perfect debut with the ball as extracted figures of 4/22 in his maiden T20I game. Alongside, Harshal Patel and Umran Malik came up with good bowling performances which made sure that the hosts defended the lowest-ever total in a T20I game in the history of T20I games played at the Wankhede stadium.

However, a couple of Indian fielders including skipper Hardik Pandya and Sanju Samson picked up injuries due to a soft outfield and humidity. Sanju Samson didn’t travel to Pune for the 2nd T20I and now, he has been ruled out of the entire T20I series.

“Team India wicket-keeper batter Sanju Samson has been ruled out of the remainder of the 3-match T20I series against Sri Lanka. Samson hurt his left knee while attempting to field a ball near the boundary ropes during the 1^st T20I at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai,” the BCCI stated in a press release.

“He was taken for scans and a specialist opinion this afternoon in Mumbai by the BCCI Medical Team and has been advised rest and rehabilitation,” the release further added.

“The All-India Senior Selection Committee has named Jitesh Sharma as a replacement for Sanju Samson,” said the release.

The second T20I of the three-match series will take place on January 05 at the MCA Stadium in Pune.

India’s updated squad for Sri Lanka T20Is: Hardik Pandya (Captain), Ishan Kishan (wk), Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shubman Gill, Suryakumar Yadav (VC), Deepak Hooda, Rahul Tripathi, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Washington Sundar, Yuzvendra Chahal, Axar Patel, Arshdeep Singh, Harshal Patel, Umran Malik, Shivam Mavi, Mukesh Kumar.