After a 7-wicket loss in the first ODI to New Zealand, where the hosts chase down 307 with 17 balls left, for the sake of getting an extra bowler – a part-time one who could provide cushion to the other five bowlers – the Team India management included batting all-rounder Deepak Hooda in place of Sanju Samson for the second ODI of the series, played on Sunday at Seddon Park, Hamilton.
This further adds fuel to the fans’ already big frustrations about Sanju Samson not getting a proper run in Team India. And now, in the absence of the seniors, this tour and series would have a perfect time to give Samson continuous game-time in the middle after years of sporadic chances.
Samson had scored 36 runs from 38 balls in the first ODI in Auckland, after coming in to bat at number 6, and forged a crucial 94-run stand with Shreyas Iyer keeping India’s chances of reaching over 300 afloat.
India did go a little over 300, but India’s five-man bowling attack was found wanting when Kane Williamson and Tom Latham put on a double-century stand to take New Zealand home comfortably. To add another bowling option – Deepak Hooda – without compromising on the number of batters, India dropped Samson; the only other batter who could have been dropped was Suryakumar Yadav, but his belligerent T20 form had gotten him in the ODI side.
The cries of frustration, annoyance, anger, and even bias against the Kerala batsman among the fans were inevitable as soon as Sanju Samson was dropped.
Sanju Samson averages 71 at a strike rate of 109 in 9 ODI innings in 2022
Here are the reactions of the fans on Sanju Samson’s exclusion from the second ODI vs New Zealand:
Sanju Samson playing just 1 game so far in this New Zealand series is “Harsh”….he deserves to get more opportunities at least when seniors are not available.
— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) November 27, 2022
Rain breaks are for us to talk about injustice with Kerala King Sanju Samson. God’s plan!
— Silly Point (@FarziCricketer) November 27, 2022
Sanju Samson got the momentum going for India in the previous ODI, but gets dropped. He needs to have a consistent run that some others get #cricket #NZvsIND #NZvINDonPrime
— Chandresh Narayanan (@chand2579) November 27, 2022
Understand why Hooda is being played, but Sanju Samson deserves a consistent run yaar. Just give him a decent run rather than these sporadic games. Has grabbed his chances this year in ODIs. #NZvIND
— Rohit Sankar (@imRohit_SN) November 27, 2022
Even if Sanju Samson pivots his career to being a carpenter he wouldn’t see this many benches.
— Heisenberg ☢ (@internetumpire) November 27, 2022
Sanju Samson’s last 4 odi knocks :
86*(63), 30*(36), 2*(4), 36(38)
Surya Kumar yadav’s last 4 odi knocks :
13(14), 9(8), 8(6), 4(3)
If they want to bring Deepak hooda, it’s surya Kumar yadav who has to sit out. Not Sanju Samson.
— Raja Sekhar Yadav (@cricketwithraju) November 27, 2022
Really unfair that Samson has been left out. The short-sightedness in selections to win bilateral series is frustrating honestly.
Also, your part-time bowlers are not going to win you the game with the ball when your first 4 are struggling as badly as they did in the last game. https://t.co/KFHUxaxtxE
— Gurkirat Singh Gill (@gurkiratsgill) November 27, 2022
It is really hard to be #SanjuSamson at the moment. Dropped, I know it’s for the team balance, and I do find sense in dropping a player for someone who can roll his arm over. But pains to see Samson being benched. #INDvNZ
— Vishesh Roy (@vroy38) November 27, 2022
Can we give Sanju Samson the same length of rope that we give to KL Rahul, Pant, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Deepak Hooda & Rohit Sharma.
— Gabbbar (@GabbbarSingh) November 27, 2022
🥺Why the hell not Sanju Samson!!! Enough is enough #NZvsIND #NZvINDonPrime #SanjuSamson pic.twitter.com/ZaaaB8YQTW
— Prakash Achra ⚡ (@mrpkachra) November 27, 2022
Sanju Samson is an easy target now. #Samsun pic.twitter.com/iS95XF4UUh
— राकेश सीकर 🇮🇳 (@GurjarRakesh10) November 27, 2022
I’d punching random people in the face if I was Samson at this point.
MFs left him out once again without any valid reason.#NZvInd #crickettwitter
— Akash Kumar Jha (@Akashkumarjha14) November 27, 2022
BCCI has issued a notice. Sanju Samson can’t fly with team until they have benches in the plane.
— Silly Point (@FarziCricketer) November 27, 2022
No need of match. Indian cricket team has done wrong with Sanju Samson which has given pain to fans. He score 30+ odd runs in previous match and dropped today. INJUSTICE on its peak
— sports.world (@fariaawan5) November 27, 2022
Indian team to Sanju Samson after one match : pic.twitter.com/onw1Vo4mSf
— Cricket With Laresh (@Lareshhere) November 27, 2022
