Former Indian Test opener Aakash Chopra reckons Sanju Samson won’t be part of the team’s playing XI in the upcoming T20 World Cup. Chopra said Samson is not exhibiting any confidence while batting and thus there are question marks on his place in the team.
Samson was dismissed after scoring 24 runs off 15 balls in the fourth T20I against the Kiwis on Wednesday. Earlier in the series, Samson returned with scores of 10, 6, and 0. In the last two games, Samson has been bowled when he has lacked footwork.
Aakash Chopra said on his YouTube Channel, “It seems like he won’t be a part of the XI now in the T20 World Cup. Making runs or not is another matter. The way he is batting, he is not inspiring any confidence at all.”
“Temperament sometimes leads to the technical flaws that may surface. Right now, he seems like a confused batter in the middle who’s making exaggerated trigger movements that is limiting his opportunities and possibilities to score runs and play fluently.”
On the other hand, Shivam Dube scored a blistering knock of 65 runs off 23 balls to give a glimmer of hope to the hosts and Chopra said there was an outside chance when the left-hander was batting.
“I am a little more optimistic because he was batting really well. There was an outside chance. I won’t say that he would have sure shot won the game for India. But, when he was batting, the bowlers looked clueless. So, I think India was in the game while he was there.”
India suffered a 50-run loss after they were bowled out for 165, while chasing 216. The fifth and final T20I between India and New Zealand will be played at Thiruvanthapuram on Saturday.
