Sanju Samson, rested or dropped? Selectors deny setback as India test bench strength

Mumbai/New Delhi: Sanju Sa​mson may have been India’s hero of the victorious T20 World Cup-winning campaign, but the keeperbatter, along with six other senior players, have been rested for the three-match T20I series against Zimbabwe beginning July 23 in Harare.

On Monday, the Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee unveiled an experimental 15-member squad focused on testing bench strength and exposing emerging talent to international cricket.Samson’s omission drew attention and ire after he was left out of India’s XI for the second T20I against England at Old Trafford to make way for teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. However, TOI has learnt that the 31-year-old wicketkeeper-batter has only been rested and not dropped.

The question that needs to be asked of the selection panel though is why is a player playing only one format needs rest.“Sanju has been rested, not dropped, just like the other six players who are in England right now. The selectors need to develop back-ups, which is essential during major tournaments,” a BCCI source told TOI.Apart from Samson, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Ravi Bishnoi, Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh and Prasidh Krishna have also been given a break.

Shreyas Iyer will lead the side, with Tilak Varma named vice-captain.The move is also aimed at providing greater opportunities to Sooryavanshi, who made his international debut against England. Sources indicated that the team management and BCCI are keen to accelerate the 15-year-old’s development through regular exposure at the highest level.The selectors are also believed to be seeking greater role clarity in the batting order.

With both Samson and Ishan Kishan in the XI, several middle-order batters were being pushed out of preferred positions. Kishan is now expected to be India’s first-choice wicketkeeper in Zimbabwe.The squad features maiden T20I call-ups for fast bowlers Ashok Sharma and Yash Thakur,. India squad: Shreyas Iyer (capt), Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma (vice-capt), Ishan Kishan (wk), Shivam Dube, Suryansh Shedge, Rinku Singh, Harsh Dubey, Varun Chakaravarthy, Prince Yadav, Yash Thakur, Ashok Sharma, Mayank Yadav, Prabhsimran Singh (wk).