"Speaks of selection inconsistencies" - Twiteratti react as India pick Sanju Samson ahead of Ishan Kishan in 1st ODI vs WI
Team India have picked Sanju Samson over Ishan Kishan for the first ODI against West Indies on July 22 at the Queen's Park Oval in Port of Spain.
This is Samson's first ODI game since his debut last year. The Kerala-born cricketer made his debut against Sri Lanka at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo. He scored a run-a-ball 46 in that game, however, the Men in Blue ended up on the losing side.
Meanwhile, there were mixed reactions from fans on social media on the wicketkeeper-batter's inclusion in the side. While some were happy with Samson's inclusion, many slammed Rahul Dravid-led management for not selecting Kishan.
Here are some of the reactions:
People's hero Sanju Samson is playing. #IndvsWI https://t.co/HZHaMgGt7W
Sanju Samson made his ODI debut on July 23, 2021. He's playing just his second ODI today, exactly a year after his first. Meanwhile, he scored just 119 runs in 6 games for Kerala, while Ishan Kishan played an ODI when WI toured India.
Speak of selection inconsistencies! #IndvsWI
Sanju Samson ahead of Ishan Kishan as wk. Good.
1st ODI: Shubman Gill included in India XI as an opener. Sanju Samson preferred over Ishan Kishan as wicketkeeper batter
#SanjuSamson #INDvsWI #WIvIND #ShubmanGill
@BCCI Ishan kishan deserved the chance.
@mipaltan @BCCI @SDhawan25 Whh Ishan Kishan is not playing today?
@BCCI Happy for @IamSanjuSamson . Let him grab the opportunity. ODI format is dying slowly. Thank God that IND is batting - that will enable me watching this match till 11 PM .
@shivkant @yashoazad @cricketwallah
@mufaddal_vohra They are ignoring Ishan Kishan.....
How dare they drop ishan kishan?
L*wde log
☹
Ishan Kishan playing 11 me kyn nehi hai.😤☹😠 https://t.co/idKjacK2QJ
1st ODI
Shubman Gill ahead of Ruturaj Gaikwad
Sanju Samson ahead of Ishan Kishan
Right choice?? #INDvWI
Seeing @IamSanjuSamson playing for INDIA is really an exciting thing for me personally and if India ever misses @ImRo45 then we have Sanju to replicate his elegance and stroke making! Got back him just like we did Rohit Sharma!
#WIvIND #WT20 #ICCRankings #ICC #BCCI
Glad that #JusticeForSanjuSamson is not trending Today.
Hopefully Sanju Samson will do justice to his selection himself.
#Sanju #Samson #SanjuSamson #CricketTwitter #Cricket #INDvsWI
Finally justice with his talent
#SanjuSamson https://t.co/sxLB9L25BY
I think ODI is the best format for Sanju to perform. But he should bat at no:3 or 4. #IndvsWI #sanjusamson
#SanjuSamson fans during Toss https://t.co/MGSL2wxyfU
Sanju Samson will play his 2nd ODI today in 7 years long international career.
Sanju Samson and this is your time.. play well and get attention #WIvIND
Finally @IamSanjuSamson gets the much awaited game in ODI’s 🥳🥳
#IndvsWI #sanjusamson
@BCCI Waiting for Sanju’s bat https://t.co/AKRubZ2ozV
@BCCI We all r waiting for one guy to bat 😍😍 https://t.co/SJvMfi5MSt
@BCCI Happy for Samson he got the chance it will be a great opportunity for him
Sanju Samson will be batting at 5 and keeping for India.
Sanju Samson was also part of the first ODI against England but didn't get to play the game.
Ishan Kishan, on the other hand, has scored 88 runs in the three ODIs he has played so far at a strike rate of 107.31. He has been the go-to player in the shortest format of the game.
India get off to a flying start against West Indies
Shikhar Dhawan, who is leading the side in the absence of regular captain Rohit Sharma, got the tourists off to a flying start alongside Shubman Gill.
The duo were happy to play their shots as West Indies' new ball bowlers lacked penetration. The hosts struggled to hit the right areas as Gill and Shubman found boundaries with ease.
At the time of writing, the visiting side were well placed at 88/0 at the end of the 12th over. Gill has reached his half-century with Dhawan batting on 33.
The two batters will hope to stitch together a big partnership and build a platform for the hitters to capitalize in the death overs.
India's Playing XI: Shikhar Dhawan (c), Shubman Gill, Shreyas Iyer, Suryakumar Yadav, Sanju Samson (w), Deepak Hooda, Axar Patel, Shardul Thakur, Mohammed Siraj, Yuzvendra Chahal, Prasidh Krishna