Former Indian fast bowler Tinu Yohannan has urged the team management and the selectors to give Sanju Samson a long run in the XI. Samson didn’t get a place in the first T20I against Sri Lanka however he replaced injured Shubman Gill in the second game of the series on Sunday.

However, the Kerala batter could not grab his opportunity with both hands as he was dismissed for a golden duck by Maheesh Theekshana.

Meanwhile, Samson hasn’t been picked in the ODI squad for the ongoing Sri Lanka tour despite scoring a hundred in his last ODI game against South Africa while playing away.

With Rishabh Pant back in the squad, it is difficult for Sanju Samson to get consistent chances in the playing XI as a wicket-keeper.

Tinu Yohannan said in an interview with RevSportz, “He debuted about 10 years ago and after that he has been (playing) on and off. He didn’t get a long run at any time. Each game is like a do-or-die game for him. Almost every time when he walks out to bat, he goes into pressure situations. He has to be given a long run somewhere down the line. He needs backing.”

“At Royals, he knows what his role is. He also knows it doesn’t matter if he fails. I know, in the Indian team it’s very difficult for him to get a long stretch of games, especially now that Rishabh (Pant) has come back. But then, he needs to be given a long run at some point of time.”

Yohannan noted that Samson excels when there are no strings attached and he doesn’t put much pressure on himself.

“He is not a guy who puts pressure on himself,” observed Yohannan. “He is someone who has a free mind. He is someone who excels when there are no strings attached, in an environment where he can express himself. He scored a century in his last ODI (against South Africa) and now he hasn’t been picked in the ODI squad. He has reached a point where he doesn’t think about it too much. He just goes game by game,” said Yohannan.

Samson will look to grab his opportunity with both hands in the third T20I against Sri Lanka.