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Team India wicketkeeper Sanju Samson finally made it to the playing XI and replaced Jitesh Sharma for the dead rubber clash against Afghanistan at Chinnaswamy Stadium on Wednesday.
Samson is waging a hard battle at the minute to stake a claim in India's T20I squad. The wicketkeeper-batter has been overshadowed by explosive performances by Jitesh Sharma of late, and is in dire need of a notable knock to remain in the scheme of things.
Samson's last T20I appearance came during an away series against Ireland in August 2023. Before that, he was part of all five T20Is against the West Indies, but failed to make an impression after scoring just 32 runs in three innings.
He scored his maiden ODI hundred in the series decider against South Africa, and made one first-class appearance for Kerala recently, where he scored 35 runs.
The mere mention of Sanju Samson's name during the toss by Team India skipper Rohit Sharma got the crowd at Chinnaswamy Stadium, showcasing the faith that fans still have in the wicketkeeper-batter.
Here are some of the reactions on Twitter following Samson's inclusion in the third T20I against Afghanistan.
Sanju Samson has played 24 T20I matches since his debut in 2015
The Kerala-born player has struggled to cement his place in international cricket, and his start-stop career has only yielded 24 T20I appearances since his debut against Zimbabwe in 2015.
Samson has scored 374 runs in 21 innings at an average of 19.68 and a strike rate of 133.57. His last home appearance came against Sri Lanka at the start of 2023, where he sustained an injury that ruled him out of the series. Jitesh Sharma ended up being his replacement and has claimed his place in the playing XI since then.
Team India have won the toss and have elected to bat first, after chasing in the last two matches of the series so far. Apart from Sanju Samson, the likes of Kuldeep Yadav and Avesh Khan also made it into the playing XI after missing out in the earlier contests. The trio of Axar Patel, Jitesh Sharma and Arshdeep Singh have been rested for the series finale.
Will Sanju Samson be among the runs in the 3rd T20I against Afghanistan? Let us know what you think.
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