Indian wicketkeeper-batsman Sanju Samson, who missed out on selection for the ODI World Cup 2023 squad, revealed that Rohit Sharma was among the first individuals to reach out and talk to him. Speaking on the YouTube channel ‘I AM with Dhanya Varma,’ the 29-year-old shared details of his conversation with Rohit, mentioning the Mumbai Indians’ view about his six-hitting prowess in the IPL. Samson expressed gratitude for the support he received from the Indian skipper.
“Rohit Sharma was the first or second person who came to me and talked. He told me, ‘Hey Sanju, wassup. You performed well in the IPL but hit too many sixes against the Mumbai Indians. You bat really well.’ I had great support from him,” Samson recounted.
Despite displaying his prowess in the white-ball format, Samson has consistently found himself excluded from various squads, including those for the Asia Cup and the ODI World Cup. Despite his ODI debut in 2021 and an impressive record of 390 runs in 13 games with an average of 55.71 and a strike rate of 104.00, the 29-year-old cricketer from Kerala remains on the periphery. In response to disappointed fans’ comments after being omitted from the squad for the home series against Australia, Samson addressed the situation.
Acknowledging perceptions of being deemed unlucky, the right-handed batsman reflected on his achievements, considering them beyond his initial expectations. “People call me the unluckiest cricketer, but where I’ve reached currently, it’s much more than what I thought I could,” he added.
The uproar from fans surged when he was left out of the squad for the ongoing T20I series against Australia. Alongside his supporters, Member of Parliament Shashi Tharoor criticised the management, deeming it unfair treatment.
“This is truly inexplicable. @IamSanjuSamson should have not just been selected, he should have led the side in the absence of all the seniors. His captaincy experience with Kerala and @rajasthanroyals is more current than SKY’s. Our selectors need to explain themselves to the cricket-loving public. And why no @yuzi_chahal either?,” tweeted Shashi Tharoor on X.
The Kerala cricketer’s most recent international appearance was in the second T20I against Ireland on August 20, where he contributed a quickfire 40 runs from 26 balls.