After not being included in the squad for India's ODI series against Australia this month, wicketkeeper-batter Sanju Samson took to social media and said he "chooses to move forward".
The ODI series is vital for India’s preparations for the World Cup beginning next month. Samson is also not part of India’s World Cup squad.
India skipper Rohit Sharma and star batter Virat Kohli have been rested for the first two ODI clashes against Australia and KL Rahul will lead the 'Men in Blue' against a strong visiting side. Rohit and Kohli are the core batters who will miss out the initial games and they are not the only key players to miss the squad for the first two ODIs. Left-arm Chinaman Kuldeep Yadav and all-rounder Hardik Pandya will also miss the first two games of the three-match series beginning September 22.
Samson took to Instagram and reacted to his omission from the squad.
"It is what it is !! I choose to keep moving forward," said the caption of Samson's post. Despite making his international debut in 2014, Samson has featured in less than 50 international games for India. He has played 13 ODIs for India, scoring 390 runs at an average of 55.71 and a strike rate of 104.00 in 12 innings. He has scored three half-centuries, with the best score of 86*.
His T20I stats are: 374 runs in 24 matches and 21 innings at an average of 19.68 and a strike rate of 133.57. He has scored one half-century, with the best score being 77.
Samson was last selected to play during the tour of West Indies from July-August this year. While he scored a half-century in his last ODI and overall 60 runs in two matches, he failed to deliver during the T20I series. He scored just 32 runs in just three innings, with the best score of 13.
Following this, he was selected as a travelling reserve for the Asia Cup in Pakistan-Sri Lanka as KL Rahul missed first two games due to a niggle. However, KL's brilliant form on return during Super Four stage and Ishan Kishan's consistent run of scores meant that he did not get to play even a single match.
Samson has earned praise and support of his fans because of his fearless hitting against both spin and pace. In 152 Indian Premier League matches, he has scored 3,888 runs at an average of 29.23 and a strike rate of just above 137. He has scored three centuries and 20 fifties, with the best score of 119.
India is hosting the ODI World Cup which begins on October 5.
India squad for first 2 ODI: KL Rahul (C & WK), Ravindra Jadeja (Vice-captain), Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shubman Gill, Shreyas Iyer, Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, Ishan Kishan (wicketkeeper), Shardul Thakur, Washington Sundar, R Ashwin, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohd. Shami, Mohd. Siraj, Prasidh Krishna
India squad for final ODI: Rohit Sharma (C), Hardik Pandya, (Vice-captain), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Suryakumar Yadav, KL Rahul (wicketkeeper), Ishan Kishan (wicketkeeper), Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Axar Patel (subject to fitness), Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, R Ashwin, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohd. Shami, Mohd. Siraj.
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