After an underwhelming show during the West Indies tour, Sanju Samson is fighting to keep his spot in the Indian cricket team. Samson managed one fifty in five innings spread across the ODI and T20I series.
The Ajit Agarkar-led BCCI selection committee is expected to name the India squad for the Asia Cup 2023 by the end of this week and it’s likely that Samson could be dropped.
According to a report in the Times of India, the wicketkeeper-batter could lose the spot with KL Rahul expected to make his return. The Asia Cup starts from August 30 while India start their campaign on September 2 against Pakistan.
The tournament could see several ODI comebacks including that of Jasprit Bumrah, KL Rahul and Prasidh Krishna.
Bumrah will make his international return during the Ireland T20Is starting Friday as will Prasidh Krishna who is part of the India squad.
On the other hand, Rahul has started practicing at the NCA alongside Shreyas Iyer.
“Prasidh can generate pace and bounce and will give a new dimension to our pace attack. Before they pick the team for the Asia Cup, it will be nice if the selectors get to watch both Bumrah and Prasidh bowl in the opening T20I against Ireland on August 18,” TOI quoted a source as saying.
Both Rahul (thigh) and Iyer (back) underwent surgeries earlier this year.
While Rahul is reported to have gained fitness, Iyer is still not 100 per cent and because of that, India are yet to name their squad for the Asia Cup.
“Rahul is by and large fit, and is ‘keeping wickets too, while Shreyas Iyer is still not 100%. Both have taken part in match simulations at the National Cricket Academy in Bangalore and will play a practice match soon. The fitness of the players who are back from the West Indies tour will also be assessed by the team and NCA’s physios. Hence the delay in naming the team,” the source said.
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