IND vs NZ: "One More Failure For Pant, Who Clearly Needs A Break From White-Ball Cricket" - Congress Mp Shashi Tharoor Says After Sanju Samson Benched For 3rd ODI

The debate between Rishabh Pant and Sanju Samson was the talk of the town following India’s poor batting performance in the third and final ODI against New Zealand in Christchurch. Vice-captain Pant could only manage 10 runs off 16 deliveries as the visitors were bowled out for 219 in 47.3 overs.

It is unfortunate that Sanju Samson will not have a place in the Indian squad, as he continues to warm the bench despite performing well in limited opportunities and being in excellent form in white-ball cricket in 2022. Sanju was benched for the whole India-New Zealand T20I series. After the first ODI defeat, Samson was dropped for the second ODI, as the team management preferred the batting all-rounder.

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One More Opportunity Denied To Sanju Samson – Shashi Tharoor

The social media went berserk after wicketkeeper-batsman Sanju Samson was dropped. This decision was slammed by Shashi Tharoor, a member of Parliament from Thiruvananthapuram. He stated that Pant has failed in 10 of his previous 11 innings, while Samson averages 71 in 2022 and 66 in ODIs but still doesn’t find a place in the team.

“One more failure for Pant, who clearly needs a break from white-ball cricket. One more opportunity denied to @IamSanjuSamson who now has to wait for the @IPL to show that he’s one of the best top-order bats in India. #IndvsNZ,” Tharoor wrote on Twitter.

One more failure for Pant, who clearly needs a break from white-ball cricket. One more opportunity denied to @IamSanjuSamson who now has to wait for the @IPL to show that he’s one of the best too-order bats in India. #IndvsNZ https://t.co/RpJKkDdp5n

— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) November 30, 2022

Rishabh Pant Failed In Ten Of His Last 11 Innings – Shashi Tharoor

VVS Laxman, India’s head coach for the series, spoke to the host broadcaster ahead of the third ODI regarding Rishabh Pant and where the left-hander should bat in ODIs. However, Shashi Tharoor was unhappy with Laxman’s remarks and took to Twitter to say: “Pant has done well at No. 4, so it is important to back him,” says @VVSLaxman281. He’s a good player out of form who’s failed in ten of his last 11 innings; Samson averages 66 in ODIs, has made runs in all his last five matches & is on the bench. Go figure. @IamSanjuSamson,” Tharoor wrote on Twitter.

"Pant has done well at No. 4, so it is important to back him," says @VVSLaxman281. He's a good player out of form who's failed in ten of his last 11 innings; Samson averages 66 in ODIs, has made runs in all his last five matches & is on the bench. Go figure. @IamSanjuSamson

— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) November 30, 2022

Sanju Samson made his debut for India in the T20 series against Zimbabwe in 2015. The 28-year-old has represented India in 27 matches (11 ODIs and 16 T20Is). He scored 330 runs in ODIs, including two ODI half-centuries, with the highest score of 86. In T20I cricket, Samson scored 296 runs in 16 matches, with one half-century and the highest score of 77. With the ODI World Cup scheduled for next year and the T20 World Cup in 2024, Samson will be hoping to cement his place in the squad.

Also read: IND vs NZ: My T20I Numbers Are Not Great But I Am Still 25 And There Is Time To Compare- Rishabh Pant Says Ahead Of 3rd Odi Against New Zealand