Indian wicketkeeper and batter Sanju Samson has replaced KL Rahul in India’s T20 squad for the West Indies series. Rahul was earlier named in the squad but his participation in the T20 series was subject to fitness. The batter tested positive for COVID-19 last week and he has been advised to rest by the BCCI medical team.
Sanju Samson Replaced KL Rahul In T20I Squad For IND vs WI
Sanju Samson wasn’t included in the initial squad of team India but BCCI added Samson’s name on the day of the first T20I, while KL Rahul was excluded from the squad. As per the roaster on the BCCI website, the Indian board decided to replace KL Rahul with Samson, who has done well in the recent opportunities he got.
Samson was a part of the Indian squad for the 3-match ODI series against the Windies. Samson got the opportunity to play in all the matches, where he scored 12, 54, and 6*. He had also played in 1 T20I match against Ireland, scoring 77 runs.
Meanwhile, as Rishabh Pant and Dinesh Karthik are already in the squad, there is no chance of Samson getting the nod in the team as a keeper. It seems that Sanju Samson has been added only as a cover for the existing middle-order batters.
NEWS
– Sanju Samson replaces KL Rahul in T20I squad.
More details
— BCCI (@BCCI) July 29, 2022
– Sanju Samson replaces KL Rahul in T20I squad.
Check out the reactions of fans on Sanju’s inclusion in Indian squad:
Sanju Samson is back
It is like a dream comes true
Now excitement ×100 #SanjuSamson pic.twitter.com/9xz5t9e6Vv— AVI09 (@Avidhakad029) July 29, 2022
Sanju Samson replaces KL Rahul in the 5 match T20 series vs West Indies.
— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) July 29, 2022
Sanju Samson Spotted Doing Net Practise Ahead Of 1st T20I pic.twitter.com/yQLxVH2MGn
— Chinmay Shah (@chinmayshah28) July 29, 2022
Really happy for Sanju Samson he has been selected in the T20i Squad against WI he have been great throughout this ODI series with both batting & wicketkeeping that made him place in the T20i Squad.Hope he gets fair chance. Good luck Sanju
— Roshmi
. 
(@cric_roshmi) When India gives u chance be like Sanju Samson don’t be like Pant who constantly failed in T20i even after getting continues 50 matches &whereas Sanju scored 77(42) on his comeback T20i match.Sanju has earned his place whereas Pant in d T20i squad cz of favouritism. #SanjuSamson pic.twitter.com/xIDRX0CDXj
— Roshmi
Talking about KL Rahul, the Karnataka-based cricketer has been undergoing rehab at the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru. While the BCCI is yet to provide clarity on his fitness, there are chances that KL Rahul might return in action on the tour of Zimbabwe.
India squad: Rohit Sharma(c), Rishabh Pant(w), Deepak Hooda, Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya, Dinesh Karthik, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Arshdeep Singh, Ravi Bishnoi, Harshal Patel, Ravichandran Ashwin, Shreyas Iyer, Kuldeep Yadav, Avesh Khan, Ishan Kishan, Sanju Samson
West Indies squad: Nicholas Pooran (Captain), Rovman Powell (Vice Captain), Shamarh Brooks, Dominic Drakes, Shimron Hetmyer, Jason Holder, Akeal Hosein, Alzarri Joseph, Brandon King, Kyle Mayers, Obed McCoy, Keemo Paul, Romario Shepherd, Odean Smith, Devon Thomas, Hayden Walsh Jr.
