'Bit unfair for someone like Sanju Samson, what has he done wrong': Danish Kaneria

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Monday announced a 15-member squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup in Australia. One of the notable names missing from the squad is that of wicketkeeper-batter Sanju Samson. The selection committee has gone with Rishabh Pant and Dinesh Karthik as their first-choice wicketkeepers for the T20 World Cup. However, former Pakistan cricketer Danish Kaneria believes that Sanju Samson deserves a place in the squad.

T20 World Cup 2022: Sanju Samson fails to find a place

Kaneria, while reviewing India's T20 World Cup squad, said Sanju Samson should have been included in the team for the marquee ICC event later this year. Kaneria said Samson should have been considered in place of Rishabh Pant. Kaneria went on to question the selection committee for ignoring Samson for the home series against Australia and South Africa later this month. 

"It is a bit unfair for someone like Sanju Samson. He should have been considered for the T20 World Cup squad. What has he done wrong to not find a place? He has also been ignored for India’s home series against Australia and South Africa. I would have gone for Samson instead of Rishabh Pant,” Kaneria said. 

The teams selected for the T20I series against Australia and South Africa do not include Samson. Samson was a member of the Indian squad that travelled to play in Ireland, England, West Indies, and Zimbabwe from June to August of this year. Samson provided his team with a few crucial innings that helped them win games. Samson, despite having a reasonably successful outing with the bat, will not be a part of any Indian squads for the foreseeable future.

India's squad for T20 World Cup, Australia & South Africa series 

India's squad for T20 World Cup: Rohit Sharma (Captain), KL Rahul (VC), Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Deepak Hooda, Rishabh Pant (WK), Dinesh Karthik (WK), Hardik Pandya, Ravichandran Ashwin, Yuzvendra Chahal, Axar Patel, Jasprit Bumrah, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Harshal Patel, Arshdeep Singh. Standby players: Mohammed Shami, Shreyas Iyer, Ravi Bishnoi, Deepak Chahar. 

India Squad for Australia T20Is: Rohit Sharma (Captain), KL Rahul (vice-captain), Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Deepak Hooda, Rishabh Pant (wicket-keeper), Dinesh Karthik (wicket-keeper), Hardik Pandya, R. Ashwin, Yuzvendra Chahal, Axar Patel, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohd. Shami, Harshal Patel, Deepak Chahar, Jasprit Bumrah.

India squad for South Africa T20Is: Rohit Sharma (Captain), KL Rahul (vice-captain), Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Deepak Hooda, Rishabh Pant (wicket-keeper), Dinesh Karthik (wicket-keeper), R. Ashwin, Yuzvendra Chahal, Axar Patel, Arshdeep Singh, Mohd. Shami, Harshal Patel, Deepak Chahar, Jasprit Bumrah.

Image: BCCI