Cheteshwar Pujara explains why Sanju Samson and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi may not feature together in India’s playing XI for the upcoming New Zealand T20I series.
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Sanju Samson vs Vaibhav Sooryavanshi: Cheteshwar Pujara explains why both may not play together in New Zealand (Photo: IANS)
Former India batter Cheteshwar Pujara believes Sanju Samson and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi may not feature together in India’s playing XI during the upcoming T20I series against New ZealandPujara said team balance and conditions could influence the selection, while backing Samson despite his inconsistent run of scores.
India will travel to New Zealand for a multi-format tour, beginning with the T20I series, after their five-match contest against West Indies ended in a 2-2 drawSpeaking on JioHotstar’s ‘Out or Not Out’, Pujara and former India assistant coach Abhishek Nayar discussed Samson’s form, Sooryavanshi’s chances and the threat posed by New Zealand opener Finn Allen.
Cheteshwar Pujara backs Sanju Samson despite inconsistent scores
Pujara said Samson should not be judged too harshly because T20 cricket naturally brings ups and downs for batters, especially those playing at the top of the order.
“He is never out of formThe kind of player Sanju Samson has been in the T20 format; his form fluctuatesBut it is always a matter of one inningsHe plays one good innings, and he is back in formSo, you cannot say that this player is not in formIn the T20 format, you are bound to have failuresWho doesn’t get out in T20s? Consistency should be there, but for the top order, I think consistency is overrated in T20s.”
Why Vaibhav Sooryavanshi may have to wait
Pujara feels it could be difficult for Sooryavanshi to play every match in New Zealand, where India may prefer more all-rounders to maintain the right balance.
“Vaibhav playing every game seems a bit difficult in New Zealand because there you need more all-rounders, either a spin all-rounder or a seaming all-rounderSo, there you don’t need a lot of batters, especially in the top orderEither Sanju Samson can open or VaibhavI don’t think both can be part of the playing XI in New Zealand conditions.”
He added that Sooryavanshi could still get opportunities if team combinations or player fitness create an opening.
Abhishek Nayar says Samson can silence his critics
Nayar pointed out that Samson often faces questions about his place after a few low scores but can change the discussion with one big innings.
“Sanju plays with everyone’s emotions because he won’t score runs for two matches, and everyone starts raising questions, ‘Vaibhav Sooryavanshi should play, Sanju Samson isn’t capitalising on his chances, how long will we wait?’ And at that very moment, he will score an 80 in no time.”
Nayar also stressed that India must make careful selection decisions instead of rushing a young player into the teamHe said Sooryavanshi could get his chance when the team needs a change.
Finn Allen could challenge Abhishek Sharma’s record
Pujara also warned India about the danger posed by Finn Allen in familiar home conditionsHe believes New Zealand’s pitches, bounce and smaller boundaries suit the aggressive opener.
“In their conditions, Finn Allen is a very lethal and dangerous player because the boundaries are smallThe ground dimensions, pitches and bounce in New Zealand suit his game.”
Pujara said Allen could produce a quick century if he gets going, although it is not guaranteedIndia will need to balance their batting options carefully while preparing for a challenging T20I series.
