Sanju Samson’s up-and-down experience with the Indian team continues as the brilliant wicketkeeper-batter was left out of India’s Asia Cup 2022 roster revealed by the BCCI on Monday. Samson, who has only played three consecutive matches – in the last ODI series against West Indies – since making his international debut seven years ago in 2015, lost out to Rishabh Pant, who was picked as the first-choice keeper, with Dinesh Karthik and KL Rahul as back-up possibilities. Needless to say, Samson’s exclusion did not sit well with his social media followers.
The Kerala cricketer was not the only well-known personality who did not qualify for the Asia Cup. Two other T20I regulars, Ishan Kishan and Shreyas Iyer did not make the 15-man roster announced for the flagship tournament, which begins on August 27 in the UAE, but the social media outpouring was primarily saved for Samson. What irritated supporters the most was that the Rajasthan Royals skipper was not even regarded as a standby, despite the fact that three players – Axar Patel, Shreyas Iyer, and Deepak Chahar – were nominated.
Here’s how Twitter responded to Samson being left out of India’s Asia Cup 2022 squad
It's pure Injustice to Sanju Samson
By BCCI selectors side lining him every now & Then! It's up to Ashwin now that he has the ability to Take Wickets as well Dry runs against Quality spin players from Pakistan Sri Lanka & B'desh in Asia Cup 2022#AsiaCup2022#IndianCricketTeam pic.twitter.com/HcaveQyXnF— MTvalluvan (@MTvalluvan) August 8, 2022
An expected exclusion from asia cup squad but the real stroy behind is.👇🏻#sanjusamson #AsiaCup2022#TeamIndia pic.twitter.com/CyDdMfCnsD
— Mahi Bishnoi (SanjusamsonFan) (@Sanjusamsonf11) August 8, 2022
Not a fan Sanju Samson but he should have been playing instead of Hooda. https://t.co/M0vLGxNnfa
— °• Chenae •° (@chenae876) August 8, 2022
Performance of Wicketkeepers in T20is in 2022
SANJU-158.40 SR& 44.75 AVG
ISHAN-130.30 SR& 30.71 AVG
PANT-135.42 SR& 26 AVG
DK-133.33 SR& 21.33 AVGBest performers- Sanju Samson and Ishan Kishan.
Picked in Asia Cup- Pant and DKDoes that make sense?#AsiaCup2022 #Sanjusamson pic.twitter.com/hCgIxOKmd2
— Anurag (@Right2Gaps) August 8, 2022
Virat Kohli and vice-captain KL Rahul returned to the team, while pacers Jasprit Bumrah and Harshal Patel were ruled out owing to injury. Kohli has been in poor form in all forms, and the 33-year-old has not scored a century in international cricket since November 2019.
Rahul returns to the squad after an extended absence due to a groyne injury and a Covid-19 diagnosis. He will be Rohit Sharma’s assistant. India is the defending winner of the Asia Cup, which will be held in the United Arab Emirates from August 27 to September 11. They will kick up their campaign against arch-rivals and neighbours Pakistan on Sunday.
The competition, which acts as a warm-up for Asian teams ahead of the T20 World Cup later this year, was moved to the UAE last month owing to the political and economic problems in Sri Lanka, which retains the honour of hosting.