cricket

Updated: Nov 07, 2019 12:33 IST

Young wicket-keeper-batsman Sanju Samson hinted at possible return in India playing XI for their upcoming clash against Bangladesh. After losing the Delhi T20I, India take on ‘Bangla Tigers’ in the second match at Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Rajkot on Thursday. Rohit’s troops need a victory to stay alive in the three-match series while the visitors are gunning for victory to become the first team to win a bilateral three-match T20I series in India.

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Following a dismal performance with the bat, the hosts could rejig their playing XI and could bring in Sanju Samson to provide more power to the top-order. He could replace KL Rahul in the side, who scored 15 off 17 deliveries at Arun Jaitely Stadium on Sunday.

Samson made his T20I debut in 2015 against Zimbabwe and that remains his only game for ‘Men in Blue’ so far. But it seems that is about to change as Samson posted a cryptic Tweet on the day of match, hinting at his possible inclusion in the playing XI. Samson’s post read: “Match day.... Let’s goooooo. #stronger&stronger #SAMSON.”

Samson was included in the 15-man India T20I squad for Bangladesh series due to his consistent performances in domestic circuit. With Rishabh Pant being the designated wicket-keeper-batsman, Samson’s inclusion was being seen as a back-up, however, chief selector MSK Prasad made it clear that wasn’t the case.

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“Sanju Samson has been included as a proper batsman, Pant will continue as wicket keeper. Sanju’s problem 3-4 years back was inconsistency. Now he has improved. He had a fantastic A series and wonderful Vijay Hazare. We consider him as a top-order batsman,” Prasad said after announcing squads for Bangladesh series.

Samson recently made his way into the record books by smashing a double century against Goa in the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2019-20. Samson smashed an unbeaten 212 off just 129 balls to register the highest individual score in List A cricket by a wicket-keeper batsman. Samson went past Pakistan’s Abid Ali’s record who had scored an unbeaten 208 in Pakistan’s domestic one-day competition in 2018.

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Samson’s 212 is also the highest individual score in India’s domestic one-day competition – The Vijay Hazare Trophy – bettering the record of Uttarakhand’s KV Kaushal, who had slammed 202 against Sikkim in the last edition of the tournament.