The competition for the wicketkeeper’s spot in India’s T20 World Cup 2024 team is getting intense, with Rishabh Pant, KL Rahul, and Sanju Samson being the top contenders for the position. There’s no clear favorite, and opinions differ among experts and fans. Meanwhile, former Indian cricketer Navjot Singh Sidhu supports Sanju Samson as his top choice for the role.
Navjot Singh Sidhu Picked His Wicketkeeper For T20 World Cup 2024
Sidhu, who is currently working as a pundit on Star Sports during the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL), praised Samson’s growth. He noted that Sanju has evolved significantly as a player compared to one or two years ago.
“No. 1 is Sanju Samson, on form. This is a different Samson. If India finds themselves in situations where they need a spare opener or No. 4 batter or at No. 6, they you have KL Rahul, who is also in form. But I will still prefer Samson, followed by Rishabh Pant. He is coming out of an injury. Now, do you consider him as a white-ball specialist? His form is a bit patchy and scratchy, but he has survived the test so far. My preferences are these three,” Sidhu opined.
Sanju Samson delivered a standout performance with the bat for Rajasthan Royals against Lucknow Super Giants, scoring a quickfire 71 off 33 balls and earning the player of the match award. After the game, Samson attributed his role as wicketkeeper to his success with the bat.
“I am very lucky to be behind the wickets. There was some purchase with the new ball and then was a good wicket to bat on. The guys who came in and bowl one over in the power-play do an important job. There has been a lot of planning behind the scenes. The start and the end of the innings was good. We gave away a few in the middle overs. Form is temporary in this format.”
He added: “We have seen Jurel in Tests. We believe in him. He has been batting one hour and two hours at times in the nets. We have been doing really well. We have been a little lucky as well. We need to keep the process right. At the team meetings, we talk about ticking the processes. One game at a time for us,”
