“Teams being created based on liking and disliking in India as well” - Danish Kaneria slams Indian management over “injustice” to Sanju Samson

Former Pakistan leg-spinner Danish Kaneria has said that, like in his country, favoritism in team selection exists in Indian cricket as well. Quoting all-rounder Shoaib Malik’s viral “liking and disliking” tweet, Kaneria said that Team India are favoring Rishabh Pant in T20Is while doing injustice to the much more deserving Sanju Samson.

The former Pakistan player has been extremely vocal in his support for Samson. On numerous occasions recently, the 41-year-old urged the Indian thinktank to pick the Kerala keeper-batter ahead of the underperforming Pant.

Despite growing support for his inclusion in the playing XI, Samson was benched for the T20I series in New Zealand. Reacting to the in-form batter’s continuous exclusion from the XI, Kaneria lashed out at the team management. Sharing his thoughts on his YouTube channel, he said:

“While Pant has been struggling, Sanju Samson has been coming up with consistent performances. He did well against South Africa but was not picked in the T20 World Cup squad. There were some protests as well. I have been saying from the start that Samson is a fantastic player. His skills are so good."

Kaneria continued:

“We talk about liking and disliking in Pakistan. Something similar seems to be happening in India. Teams are being created based on liking and disliking in India as well,” he claimed.

Terming the lack of opportunities being provided to Samson as 'injustice', Kaneria added that the backing of Pant despite innumerable failures in T20Is is baffling. He added:

“There is injustice happening with Sanju Samson. The number of chances Rishabh Pant is being given ... he has not done much in T20I cricket. Whichever captain comes in has this thought process that Pant is a dynamic player who can change the flow of the game. He has been tried at all numbers, but nothing has worked.”

Pant has had a horror run with the bat in T20Is. In his last four visits to the crease, he has registered scores of 3, 6, 6 and 11. He averages under 23 after 66 games in the shortest format of the game.

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“Will his form remain so good throughout?” - Kaneria questions Pandya for Samson exclusion

In a post-match conference following India’s T20I series win over the Kiwis, Men in Blue captain Hardik Pandya defended Samson’s exclusion from the playing XI. He said that players would get enough opportunities to prove themselves. Disagreeing with Pandya, Kaneria countered:

“When Pandya was asked about Samson’s exclusion, Pandya said that he is in the plans, and there is time to give him chances. The question is not about time. The thing is, will his form remain so good throughout? Having been snubbed for the T20 World Cup, he will be having that desire to prove a point.”

The 28-year-old Samson has represented India in 16 T20Is and ten ODIs, scoring 296 and 294 runs respectively.