"They are leaving Sanju Samson out, why are they taking Rajat Patidar" - Simon Doull on Indian squad for upcoming Bangladesh ODIs
Former New Zealand fast bowler Simon Doull has raised concerns about the omission of Sanju Samson from India's upcoming ODI series against Bangladesh. Doull questioned Madhya Pradesh batter Rajat Patidar's selection over Samson in the squad.
Samson was part of India's white-ball squad for the recently concluded tour of New Zealand. The Kerala batter featured in the playing XI in just one of the six games, four of which were affected by rain.
Samson didn't find a place in India's 17-member squad for the three-match ODI series against Bangladesh this month, with the likes of Ishan Kishan and Rishabh Pant retaining their spots.
"Sanju Samson is good enough to play" - Simon Doull
Patidar, on the other hand, earned his maiden India call-up during the South Africa ODIs in October; however, he didn't make the cut for the XI.
The upcoming three-match ODI series in Bangladesh could be Patidar's opportunity to make his international debut. However, Simon Doull, who played 42 ODIs for New Zealand, wasn't impressed with Patidar's selection ahead of Samson.
Doull told Cricbuzz:
"I mean I know they loved Rajat Patidar and I look at it, I think okay that’s fine, but there is a plethora of batters that you know. Sanju Samson is good enough to play and they are leaving him out. Why are they taking Rajat Patidar?"
The 28-year-old wicketkeeper batter has a loyal fanbase, which takes every available opportunity to criticize the Indian team management for their unfair treatment towards the player over the years. This exclusion could be more ammunition for those fans.
Doull pointed out a similar selection concern based on the performances in the ongoing 2022 Vijay Hazare Trophy.
The former New Zealand pacer feels Tamil Nadu wicketkeeper Narayan Jagadeesan, who recently shattered many records during his 277 in a List A game against Uttarakhand, could have played ahead of Maharashtra batter Rahul Tripathi.
He said:
"I mean I know there are other openers we’ve seen. The young man from Chennai (Jagadeesan) scored a bulk of runs in the last week and a half. Look, there's plenty of players."
Doull added:
"Tripathi for me again a great, love him, love them to bits. He does things that we just don’t expect at times. But he is one of the best T20 players in India in One-Day International cricket.I’m not sure maybe they’re just giving it a go, giving it a chance but there are gaps for them to fill the wicketkeeper, one thing still a concern."
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India will play their first ODI match against Bangladesh on December 4 at the Shere Bangla National Stadium in Dhaka.