IND vs SL: 3 Reasons Why Sanju Samson Should Be Dropped From India's Playing XI For The T20I Series

Last Update on: January 4th, 2023 at 02:37 pm

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IND vs SL: 3 Reasons Why Sanju Samson Should Be Dropped From India’s Playing XI For The T20I Series. Sri Lanka is touring India for a multi-format series. During IND vs SL 2023 series, an ODI and T20I series will be played. The T20I series comprises three matches. The ODI IND vs SL series will also witness three games.

The T20I series between IND vs SL will be played first followed by the ODI series. During IND vs SL 2023 series, the three T20I games will take place on January 3 (which India won by 2 runs), January 5, and January 7. The three ODI games are scheduled to take place on January 10, January 12, and January 15.

Hardik Pandya, Rohit Sharma. (Photo: Twitter)

Both teams have announced their squads for the series. Rohit Sharma is the captain of India in the ODI series. Hardik Pandya is the skipper of India in the T20I series. For Sri Lanka, Dasun Shanaka is the captain of the team in both the ODI and T20I series.

Dasun Shanaka with Asia Cup 2022 (Photo: Twitter)

India last played an ODI and Test series against Bangladesh in December 2022. During the away series, India played 3 ODIs and 2 Tests with Bangladesh. The Indian team lost the ODI series 1-2 but won the Test series 2-0.

Meanwhile, In February 2022, Sri Lanka has already toured India. The Sri Lankan team played an all-format series against India in February-March 2022. The visitors got thrashed by the Indians in all formats of the game. India won the Test series 2-0 & T20I Series 3-0. Sri Lanka won the Asia Cup 2022 in the T20I format but as far as ODIs are concerned, they won against Australia 3-2 but drew against Afghanistan 1-1 in bilateral series at home.

In the 1st IND vs SL T20I, India prevailed in a low-scoring thriller thanks to late runs from Deepak Hooda and Axar Patel, and exceptional seam bowling from an attack missing pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, and Mohammed Shami. The Wankhede pitch was anything but the batting paradise it usually is in T20 cricket: there was grip for spinners, which Sri Lanka used well before the new ball seamed around for India’s quicks.

Ishan Kishan got India off to a quick start before the spinners pulled them back. Deepak Hooda and Axar Patel then added 68 in 5.5 overs to take India to 162. On the same pitch, India found assistance for fast bowlers with Hardik Pandya joining debutant Shivam Mavi, Umran Malik, and Harshal Patel in causing damage.

India vs Sri Lanka, IND vs SL,(Credits: Twitter)

Sri Lanka had a brief recovery from 68 for 5 through captain Dasun Shanaka’s 45 off 27, but Axar Patel managed to defend 12 in a last-over gamble.

1st T20I: India 162 for 5 (Hooda 41*, Axar 31*) beat Sri Lanka 160 (Shanaka 45, Mavi 4-22) by two runs

Sanju Samson scored only 5 runs off 6 balls and might be benched in the 2nd T20I. He may be replaced by Ruturaj Gaikwad or uncapped Rahul Tripathi in the next game.

Sanju Samson hasn’t made the most of his opportunities in T20Is as he has managed 301 runs in 17 T20Is averaging 20.07 at a strike rate of 133.78 with only 1 fifty.

IND vs SL: 3 Reasons Why Sanju Samson Should Be Dropped From India’s Playing XI For The T20I Series

1. Poor T20I Form Particularly Against Sri Lanka

Sanju Samson’s recent T20I form is poor. He has hit only 1 fifty in 16 innings amassing 301 runs and averaging 20.07. Apart from that 77 against low-ranked Ireland, he hasn’t crossed even 40 in the other innings against heavyweight teams. Against Sri Lanka, he has played the most-8 T20Is but has scored only 102 runs averaging a mere 14.57 at a below-par strike rate of 125.93.

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