Mohammad Kaif criticised the selectors for dropping Sanju Samson from India’s ODI squad against Australia, saying the wicketkeeper deserved a place ahead of Dhruv Jurel.
Former India cricketer Mohammed Kaif criticised the selection committee for excluding Sanju Samson from the ODI squad for the upcoming Australia series. Kaif felt Samson, who usually bats in the middle order, would have been a stronger pick for that role.
While acknowledging Dhruv Jurel’s impressive century against the West Indies and his steady progress over the past year, Kaif maintained that experience and adaptability make Samson a better fit for the ODI format.
“I feel that Dhruv Jurel played really well when he scored that century (against WI). He looked very compact and organised and he is definitely the future of Indian cricket,” he said.
“He has that ability to score in every match. But leaving out Sanju Samson was a wrong decision because Sanju usually plays in the lower order, around number five or six and for that position, he is a much better option than Jurel,” the former cricketer added.
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Mohammad Kaif then pointed out Samson’s proven power-hitting, especially against spinners, and his impressive record of six-hitting in the IPL. He also questioned the selectors for valuing short-term form over long-term consistency.
“Right now, we tend to focus only on current form, like how well Jurel played recently and in doing so, we forget players like Sanju who have been performing consistently and are deserving,” he concluded.
The three-match series begins in Perth on October 19, followed by matches at Adelaide Oval on October 23 and Sydney Cricket Ground on October 25. All games will start at 9:00 AM IST.
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