"Would've been nice to see Sanju Samson"- Gautam Gambhir's former teammate bats for RR skipper after Sri Lanka snub

Former Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) team director Joy Bhattacharjya shared his thoughts on India's squad for the upcoming white ball series against Sri Lanka. Joy Bhattacharjya expressed disappointment with wicketkeeper-batter Sanju Samson's exclusion from the Indian ODI squad for the three-match series.

On Thursday, July 18, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced squads for the upcoming limited-overs series against Sri Lanka. The tour is the first assignment for Gautam Gambhir as Team India head coach. The selection received mixed reactions from former cricketers, cricket experts, and fans.

Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma announced their retirement from T20I cricket after leading India to their second T20 World Cup victory last month. They are included in the squad for the upcoming 50-over matches. The selectors have decided to rest Jasprit Bumrah to manage his workload after the T20 World Cup.

Little To Find Fault With The Indian Selections - Joy Bhattacharjya

Joy Bhattacharjya took to X (formerly known as Twitter) to express his views on India's T20 and ODI squads for the Sri Lanka tour. Bhattacharjya stated that there is little to find fault with in the Indian selections. He highlighted the clarity in appointing Suryakumar Yadav as captain for the shorter format.

"Little to find fault with the Indian selections for the T20 and ODI tours of Sri Lanka. I think the message about captaincy is clear, there are enough variables to balance anyway without having to worry about load management as an additional factor. And therefore a player for whom that is not a worry as captain," Bhattacharjya wrote.

Little to find fault with the Indian selections for the T20 and ODI tours of Sri Lanka. I think the message about captaincy is clear, there are enough variables to balance anyway without having to worry about load management as an additional factor. And therefore a player for…

— Joy Bhattacharjya (@joybhattacharj) July 18, 2024

Suryakumar Yadav will captain India in the three-match T20I series against Sri Lanka starting on July 27. Shubman Gill, who previously led the team in Zimbabwe, has been appointed vice-captain. Hardik Pandya, who served as vice-captain during the T20 World Cup, is also included in the squad for the series.

Would Have Been Nice To See Sanju Samson - Joy Bhattacharjya

Joy Bhattacharjya expressed concern about Sanju Samson's exclusion despite his impressive ODI record in limited opportunities. Bhattacharjya stated that seeing Samson given more opportunities would have been nice.

"My only issue, Sanju averages around 57 at a strike rate of almost 100 in the 16 ODIs he has played. Would have been nice to see him get a run there," the ex-KKR team director added.

Sanju Samson scored his maiden century when he last played for India in an ODI match in December 2023. The right-handed batter made 108 runs off 114 balls in the series decider against South Africa. He helped the Men in Blue reach a total of 296 runs. The Indian team eventually won the match by 78 runs.

Rishabh Pant and KL Rahul are included as wicketkeepers in the ODI squad. Pant made a notable return to international cricket during the 2024 T20 World Cup. However, the left-handed batter hasn't played in ODIs since November 2022. Samson deserved an opportunity over Pant to continue in India's ODI squad.

Also read: "Making a mockery of..." - Sunil Gavaskar demands action from ICC as he exposes bowlers' unfair practice