Sanju Samson should open against West Indies in the T20I series, says his childhood coach

Indian selectors faced a lot of criticism after they removed Sanju Samson from the squad for the T20I series against West Indies. It gave an opportunity to the critics to question the selection panel’s decisions. However, Samson was recently drafted back into the team as a replacement for injured Shikhar Dhawan. Following his inclusion in the squad, Samson’s childhood coach has come up with his opinion on how to utilise him in the upcoming T20I series.

Samson made his debut back in 2015 for Team India in the shorter format. He was dropped from the squad after playing just one match. But, he continued to garner attention by delivering promising performances in the domestic circuit. Earlier this year, the right-hander hogged the spotlight after scoring a double in Vijay Hazare Trophy match against Goa.

The 25-year-old was picked in the squad by the selectors for three-match T20I series against Bangladesh. Without getting a single chance in against Bangladesh, Samson was dropped from the squad by the selectors yet again. Later on, Harbhajan Singh and Shashi Tharoor had also come out in his favour of the youngster by criticising the selection panel.

Sanju Samson is a quick learner and adapts really well, says his childhood Coach

Now, Biju, Sanju Samson’s childhood coach feels that if his student is picked in the team as a replacement for Dhawan, then he should get a chance to open against West Indies. He also added that the key to the success of Thiruvananthapuram-born cricketer is his confidence and domination.

“Sanju should be made to play the first match. He has replaced Dhawan in the squad so he should be asked to open the innings. Confidence and domination are the keys to Sanju’s success,” Sanju Samson’s childhood coach said as quoted by The Times of India.

He also recalled a memory from a Ranji match in which Samson got out while attempting a pull shot off a short pitch delivery. But, in the same match in the second innings, he played the same ball against the same bowler for a boundary. He also scored in the 70s in that game. His coach feels that Samson has a great temperament as a cricketer and is a quick learner as well.

“I still remember one of his Ranji Trophy matches. It was a very bad wicket. The bowler bowled a short one and Sanju tried to play a pull shot. He got an edge and was dismissed. When he came in to bat in the second innings, the same ball was bowled and Sanju hit the bowler for a boundary. He scored in the 70s in that match. That’s how Sanju’s temperament is. He learns and adapts to things quickly,” he added.