Former Indian all-rounder Irfan Pathan believes India must persist with Jitesh Sharma ahead of Sanju Samson after the first T20I against South Africa. Sharma played ahead of Samson and added the finishing touches with a cameo of five-ball 10.

Jitesh was also preferred ahead of Sanju Samson in the last couple of T20Is against Australia. Meanwhile, Sanju Samson had delivered while opening the innings but since Shubman Gill has been appointed as the team’s vice-captain, the Kerala batter hasn’t got his chances at the top of the order.

Samson batted in the middle order in the Asia Cup but could not grab his chance with both hands.

“It’s a fair call because you will face difficulty going forward if you are thinking about batting Sanju Samson down the order. Sanju Samson has batted up the order, in the top three, in his entire career. It’s a very difficult job if you go down from there. He played a very good knock in the Asia Cup while batting in the middle overs,” Irfan Pathan said on Star Sports.

“However, if you have to choose one between the two as to who will be more competent and proceed with one plan, you are proceeding with Jitesh Sharma currently, and you will have to move forward with him only. If you keep chopping and changing, you will have difficulties going forward,” he added.

On the other hand, former Indian Test opener Aakash Chopra said Jitesh Sharma was brilliant behind the stumps in the opening game after he took four catches.

“Jitesh Sharma needs to be spoken about because he kept extremely well. He was outstanding behind the stumps, whether it was standing back or next to the stumps. He hit a six as well, and it’s necessary as well because he won’t get to bat much. As soon as a few wickets fall, you move Axar Patel up and push him down to No. 8,” Chopra said in a video shared on his YouTube channel.

The second T20I between India and South Africa will be played at Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium, Mullanpur, Chandigarh, on Thursday.