"Maybe a very similar case with Rohit Sharma" - Aakash Chopra says Sanju Samson needs to be batted up the order to get the best out of him
Aakash Chopra believes India need to bat Sanju Samson up the order to extract the best out of him.
Samson had an indifferent T20I and a middle ODI series against the West Indies recently. He scored a half-century while batting at No. 4 in the final ODI but was played either at No. 5 or No. 6 the three times he batted in the subsequent T20I series.
In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra opined that Samson, just like Rohit Sharma, is best suited to bat in the top order.
"You will have to bat Sanju Samson up the order if you have to get the best out of him, irrespective of the format. You will be able to do justice to his talent only if you can bat him up the order. Maybe a very similar case with Rohit Sharma," he opined.
The former Indian opener pointed out that the team management persisted with Rohit purely based on potential before he started excelling once he was moved to the top of the order across formats.
"When Rohit Sharma plays, he plays so beautifully and this was his story earlier as well. His numbers were not that good at the start but the team persisted. It seemed like the guy had a lot of potential and that today's potential will be converted to performance tomorrow," Chopra observed.
Chopra acknowledged that Samson might not get a chance to bat in the top order in the current scenario. However, he added that he could get that opportunity in the future, considering he is not yet 29 and some of the incumbent senior players might vacate those positions.
"We are trying to make him succeed in the lower-middle order but the chances are slightly less" - Aakash Chopra on Sanju Samson
Aakash Chopra feels the attempts to make Sanju Samson succeed in the lower-middle order are unlikely to bear fruit.
"I feel we are trying to make him succeed in the lower-middle order but the chances are slightly less because all his numbers due to which he gets selected are either as an opener or at No. 3. His numbers have never been good at No. 4 or lower," he stated.
The reputed commentator added that the Kerala wicketkeeper-batter needs to be given chances at positions he can excel in.
"So if his numbers are not good at all there and if you ask him to be played there, then you are neither here nor there. I am convinced about one thing that if you have to give chances, give them in such a way that he can give his best," he elaborated.
Chopra substantiated his point by giving Ishan Kishan's example, highlighting the Jharkhand wicketkeeper-batter will be half the player if he is played at No. 5 or No. 6 in white-ball cricket.
He concluded by stating that if Samson can't be played in the top four, the team should look elsewhere.