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Aakash Chopra reckons Sanju Samson has been left out of India's squad for the ODI series against Sri Lanka because of improper transition. He also believes Gautam Gambhir shouldn't be trolled for not picking the Kerala wicketkeeper-batter despite rating him highly a few years ago.
The Men in Blue will face the Lankan Lions in three T20Is and as many ODIs, with the first T20I to be played in Pallekele on July 27. Although Samson has been picked in the T20I squad, he has been ignored for the ODIs.
In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra opined that Samson has potentially missed out due to the seniors' return and gaps in transition.
"The problem is that you see quite often that the main team players don't play between two World Cups. Then some youngster plays and when he does well, you feel he is very good and should be given opportunities but as soon as the senior player becomes available, the senior plays and the youngster is left out. If you see logically, it's right because he was keeping the bench warm, but is it right?" he said (1:30).
"When the transition happens, a new coach, a new captain or a new selection committee, bridges are not built at times and there are gaps left in the middle. It's that gap in Sanju Samson's case because clarity of thought is not there as he had scored a century the last time he was played, so why he is not a part of the team now?" the former India opener added.
Samson played a 108-run knock as a specialist batter in the final ODI against South Africa in December last year. KL Rahul, the captain and the wicketkeeper in that game, has been retained in the squad, with Rohit Sharma back at the helm as skipper and Gambhir replacing Rahul Dravid as India's full-time coach.
"It's a 4-year-old thing" - Aakash Chopra on Gautam Gambhir being trolled after Sanju Samson's non-selection
Aakash Chopra noted that Gautam Gambhir cannot be criticized for praising Sanju Samson four years ago and not picking him now.
"There is an old Gautam Gambhir tweet that is going viral in which he said in 2020 that Sanju Samson is not only the best wicketkeeper-batter in India but is the most exciting young Indian batting talent. So is it right that you have done something else when it is in your hands? Firstly, it's a four-year-old thing," he said in the same video.
The cricketer-turned-commentator added that the newly appointed Indian head coach's views might have changed in the intervening period.
"That must have been the thought when he said it. It's not that Sanju hasn't played cricket after that. He has played a lot of cricket, T20Is and ODIs, and Gautam might have a different point of view now. So that is a possibility. Don't troll Gauti based on what he said four years ago," Chopra stated.
KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant are the two wicketkeeper-batters in India's ODI squad for the Sri Lanka tour. While Rahul was one of the star performers in last year's ODI World Cup, Pant has made an impressive comeback after being out of action for more than a year due to injuries sustained in a horrific car accident.
