The Asia Cup 2023 is scheduled to begin on August 30th. India has already revealed the list of players who will be participating in this major tournament. In that contrast, former Pakistani cricketer Danish Kaneria expresses his views on KL Rahul’s selection above Sanju Samson.
The selection committee has finally announced the long-awaited team of 17 players for the upcoming ODI World Cup 2023. It’s important to note that this team doesn’t include the reserve player, Sanju Samson.
This team is particularly significant because these are the players who are likely to represent the country in the ODI World Cup 2023 scheduled for October to November in India.
The team chosen by the Board of Control for Cricket in India had a couple of notable points. One was the inclusion of a young batter named Tilak Varma, who had just started his international career with the Indian cricket team.
Another important decision was not selecting Yuzvendra Chahal, a spinner who had been a part of the team before. Instead, the selectors decided to leave him out of the squad from the Asia Cup 2023 India squad.
Danish Kaneria issues with Asia Cup India’s squad
Danish Kaneria, a former spinner from Pakistan, has shared his opinion about the selection of players in the cricket team of Asia Cup 2023 India’s squad. He thinks the choice made was not fair. According to him, Sanju Samson should have been chosen to be part of the main group of players.
Instead, another player, KL Rahul, got selected for the main team. Danish Kaneria believes that KL Rahul should have been kept as a backup player instead.
“KL Rahul’s struggles in Test cricket resulted in his exclusion from the team. His lacklustre performance continued in the IPL, coupled with an injury. However, upon recovery, he earned a spot back in the team. Some argue that this sequence of events seems unjust. If KL Rahul was given an opportunity, proponents suggest that Sanju Samson deserved a chance too. Some even believe Rahul should have been considered a backup player. Yet, it’s possible that his reputation has grown to a point where he is considered indispensable.” Danish Kaneria on his YouTube channel
According to Danish Kaneria, he believes that Sanju Samson was not able to hold onto his spot in the Indian cricket team because he didn’t perform well enough when given the opportunity to play.
Kaneria’s view is that the team’s leaders gave Samson plenty of chances to show his skills as a wicketkeeper. However, in Kaneria’s opinion, Samson couldn’t impress them with his performance during those chances, which eventually led to him losing his place in the team.
“Sanju Samson’s role has primarily been as a drinks carrier. While some argue that he has faced unjust treatment, I hold a different perspective. He was provided ample opportunities that he needed to capitalize on. In order to secure a spot in the team, one must deliver consistent performances.” Kaneria added
