Wasim Jaffer ignores Sanju Samson in his India playing XI for IND vs SL 1st T20I
Former India batter Wasim Jaffer has ignored wicketkeeper-batter Sanju Samson in his India playing XI for the first T20I against Sri Lanka in Pallekele on Saturday, July 27. Jaffer, via a tweet, picked Rishabh Pant as the first-choice and only wicketkeeper in his lineup.
Jaffer picked Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shubman Gill as his openers with Pant retaining his No. 3 spot. India’s new captain Suryakumar Yadav, Shivam Dube forms the formidable middle order, while Hardik Pandya and Rinku Singh are the finishers.
The bowling unit comprises Mohammed Siraj, Arshdeep Singh, Ravi Bishnoi, and Axar Patel.
Rishabh Pant vs Sanju Samson - What do stats say?
When it comes to wicketkeeping, Pant has the second most dismissals for India in T20Is. The southpaw has inflicted 48 dismissals in 60 innings, including 10 stumpings. Only former India captain MS Dhoni has more – 91 dismissals in 97 innings. Meanwhile, Samson has 11 dismissals in 13 T20I innings, including four stumpings.
Notably, Pant was the first-choice wicketkeeper at the 2024 T20 World Cup. The left-hander amassed 171 runs in eight innings at a strike rate of 127.61 in the T20 tournament. He failed to deliver in the crucial games at the ICC event, returning with scores of 15, 4, and 0 against Australia (Super 8), England (semifinals) and South Africa (final).
Meanwhile, Samson played as a wicketkeeper-batter in three games during the recently concluded five-match T20I series in Zimbabwe. The Kerala batter scored 0, unbeaten 12, and 58 (45) in his three outings.
Overall, Pant has 1158 runs in 64 T20I innings at a strike rate of 126.56 with the help of three half-centuries. On the other hand, Samson has 444 runs in 24 T20Is at a strike rate of 133.33, including two fifties.
If presented with an opportunity, Samson would be keen to grab it with both hands. The wicketkeeper-batter has already been axed for the ODI series in Sri Lanka despite hitting a century in his last outing in the format against South Africa.
Wasim Jaffer’s India playing XI vs Sri Lanka in 1st T20I
Shubman Gill (VC), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rishabh Pant (WK), Suryakumar Yadav (C), Shivam Dube, Hardik Pandya, Rinku Singh, Axar Patel, Ravi Bishnoi, Arshdeep Singh and Mohammed Siraj.