Veteran India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin heaped praise on wicketkeeper batter Sanju Samson but suggested that there is no place for him at the number 4 spot in the current ODI set-up. Samson, who is still in the race to get a place in India’s ODI World Cup squad, batted at number 3 and 4 in the second and third ODI against West Indies respectively. However, he got the opportunity in the absence of Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul and it would be very difficult to bat at those positions when the trio are in the XI.
In the first two T20Is, Samson batted at number 5 and 6 positions where he failed to flourish.
Ashwin, who played under Samson’s leadership in IPL, talked about the wicketkeeper batter’s decent record in ODIs and his ability to attack the spinners in the middle order.
“The other player who got a chance was Sanju Samson. He scored a fifty in the ODI series. In the T20I match, he scored 12 off 12. He got a role in the middle-order. When it comes to IPL, he bats at number three or four largely. Mind you, he has got a very good record in ODIs. A very good average and he scored a 50 in the third ODI as well. And he took down spin as soon as he came in, and that’s his specialty,” Ashwin said in a video on his YouTube channel.
The ace spinner pointed out that the number 3 and number 4 slot in Indian cricket are almost fixed as Kohli holds the position one down, while fully fit Rahul and Iyer are absolute certainties in the middle-order when they regain full fitness,
“When it comes to Team India, the number 3 and 4 slot is not open. Given Sanju’s ability and talent, we know he can change the course of the game at any point. He is a very good guy and we all want good for him. But the role we expect from Sanju when it comes to Team India is different. There is no space for him in the Top 4. Whether there will be a spot for him after the World Cup or after one or two years after the World Cup, we will have to wait and watch. Because Virat at 3 is a fix. Rohit and Gill are also fixed as openers. Shreyas and KL are also absolute certainties when they are fit.” he added.
However, the 36-year-old suggested that India need a backup wicketkeeper for the ODI World Cup if Rahul gets in after recovering from his thigh injury.
“We need a keeper-batter alone as a backup. So, if one of KL or Shreyas is not available they need a backup at 4 or 5. But Sanju is not doing that role in IPL. He is starting to do that role only in ODIs and he has scored a 50 in that role now. That’s good news for him and Team India. I feel Sanju Samson will be ahead in the contingency plan as far as the ODI World Cup is concerned and Tilak Varma is almost there,” he added.
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