"Is it even necessary?" - Aakash Chopra on Sanju Samson's father blaming Dhoni, Kohli, Rohit and Dravid for harming his son's career
Aakash Chopra has questioned whether Sanju Samson's father needed to hit out at Virat Kohli, MS Dhoni, Rohit Sharma and Rahul Dravid for supposedly wasting 10 years of his son's life. He noted that such tirades don't help the player's cause.
India are currently playing South Africa in a four-match T20I series, with the final game to be played in Johannesburg on Friday, November 15. Samson played a 107-run knock in the series opener but didn't open his account in the last two games.
In a video shared on his YouTube channel 'Aakash Chopra', the former India opener questioned whether Samson's father's recent criticism of Kohli, Dhoni, Rohit and Dravid was required.
"Sanju Samson's father has said something very interesting. He put Ji after Kohli, Dhoni, Rohit and Dravid's names and said that they spoiled 10 years of his son's career. I start thinking is it even necessary? I will be very honest," he said (9:00).
Citing his own example, Chopra noted that fathers would always be biased towards their children.
"Since I am a father, I can tell you that fathers are biased. Our children are the dearest to us and we don't see any of their shortcomings. The same must be true for my father. He might be saying that Aakash was wronged and he also should have got more opportunities," he observed.
The cricketer-turned-commentator gave Yuvraj Singh as another example to highlight that such diatribes don't help.
"We have seen this in Yograj Singh and Yuvraj Singh's case. Yograj Singh says something and then Yuvi is unable to figure out what he should say. He wants to disassociate himself, that he doesn't think like that. So the fathers' comments don't help. What will you gain from it? Whatever has passed has passed," Chopra stated.
Yuvraj's father Yograj Singh has repeatedly blamed Dhoni for not backing his son enough. However, India's star performer in their 2007 T20 World Cup and 2011 ODI World Cup winning campaigns has denied those claims and termed it his father's view.
"If you dig a grave, you will only get a skeleton" - Aakash Chopra on Sanju Samson's father's statements
![Sanju Samson averages 24.17 in 32 T20I innings. [P/C: BCCI]](https://statico.sportskeeda.com/editor/2024/11/28e1b-17316499515118-1920.jpg?w=500)
In the same video, Aakash Chopra urged Sanju Samson's father to allow his son to concentrate on his game when he is doing well.
"If you dig a grave, you will only get a skeleton. You won't get anything else. What will you do with that skeleton? Allow the kid to play when he is doing well. I do understand that you were in Delhi, quit your job, went to Kerala, invested your entire life in Sanju, and you are emotionally biased but let it be," he said (10:15).
The renowned commentator added that the Kerala wicketkeeper-batter didn't set the domestic circuit on fire either when he was playing for his state.
"Secondly, it's not that Sanju Samson was scoring a lot of runs always. If you see his first-class numbers, you will find that he left a lot to be desired. If a player of his quality averages in the thirties for a team like Kerala, where you are a superstar, you ask the question whether you did justice to your talent," Chopra observed.
Samson has aggregated 3,834 runs at an average of 39.12 in 107 first-class innings. He averages 33.85 and 29.48 in List A and T20s respectively in 390 white-ball innings.