Sanju Samson is favored over Ishan Kishan for the T20Is against Bangladesh
Will Sanju Samson edge out Ishan Kishan for a spot in India’s T20I squad? Both wicketkeeper-batters made an impact in the Duleep Trophy recently, each scoring a century, but Samson stood out with 196 runs compared to Kishan’s 123 (across four innings for India D and India C respectively).
The pressing question remains: will these performances be enough to overshadow Samson’s two ducks in his last two T20Is against Sri Lanka in July? Given his strong form in the Duleep Trophy in Anantapur, there’s a solid chance Samson could reclaim his position, although the competition is stiff.
Kishan has recently been in the spotlight for adhering to selectors’ instructions by participating in domestic cricket, which has sparked speculation about a possible recall to the Indian team for the upcoming three-match T20I series against Bangladesh.
Before being sidelined nearly a year ago for reasons not entirely related to his on-field performance, Kishan had nearly secured his spot in India’s white-ball setup, with his consistency even earning him a place in the 50-over World Cup squad.
With a renewed emphasis on domestic cricket, Kishan was in contention for a return to the India team, but it appears he may have to wait a bit longer.
He has been included in the Irani Cup squad, while Samson is not part of the October 1-5 five-day fixture, which concludes in Lucknow just a day before the first T20I against Bangladesh in Gwalior on October 6.
Although selectors can always pull a player from domestic matches for international duty, it seems that, for now, Samson is the preferred choice.
With 30 T20Is under his belt, Samson may be called upon to open the innings, a role he assumed during the series against Sri Lanka, albeit with limited success.
An opener is needed for the T20Is, as the selectors are unlikely to include Shubman Gill and Yashasvi Jaiswal, who opened in the T20Is in Sri Lanka but are expected to be rested for more critical Test duties.
Other Test players, including Mohammed Siraj, Axar Patel, and Rishabh Pant, who were part of the T20I squad in Sri Lanka, will also be excluded.
This decision may create an opportunity for someone like Sai Sudarshan, who played in a T20I in Zimbabwe in July.
The Tamil Nadu and Gujarat Titans batter is part of the Irani squad as well.
Surya Kumar Yadav will return as captain, with Hardik Pandya also in the mix.
The first T20I is scheduled for October 6 in Gwalior, followed by the remaining two matches on October 9 in New Delhi and October 12 in Hyderabad.
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