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Wicketkeeper-batter Sanju Samson won a hard-fought race to be part of Team India's 2024 T20 World Cup squad, pipping the likes of KL Rahul, Dinesh Karthik, and Jitesh Sharma. The Rajasthan Royals (RR) skipper has had an excellent 2024 Indian Premier League (IPL) campaign and has been rewarded for his efforts.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) named a 15-man squad for the tournament, scheduled to be held in the West Indies and the United States of America (USA) in June. Chairman of selectors Ajit Agarkar and BCCI secretary Jay Shaha were involved in a meeting in Ahmedabad on Tuesday, April 30, and the squad was released shortly after.
Samson was nowhere near the squad last year, with Jitesh Sharma having a fine run with the national team before the IPL. The former had a horrid away series against the West Indies, and could not make an impression during the tour of Ireland as well. His last T20I appearance came against Afghanistan at the start of the year, where he was dismissed for a golden duck.
In the ongoing IPL season, Sanju Samson was prolific for RR when the openers struggled for form, setting up the innings for his side along with Riyan Parag in the middle overs. After 385 runs in nine innings at a strike rate of 161, and an unbeaten 71 off 33 in his most recent knock against the Lucknow Super Giants, the selectors are finally convinced.
Fans were delighted at the prospect of Samson finally getting his due, especially after a troublesome stint with the national team in the past. Here are some of the reactions on Twitter:
"Manifested this. Sanju Samson to the T20 World Cup!", one post mentioned.
"Sanju Samson’s win feels personal," one tweet read.
"HE SUFFERED, HE LEARNED, HE CHANGED," one fan remarked.
Team India including Samson will depart for the World Cup after the 2024 IPL
The Men in Blue have been drawn alongside Pakistan, Ireland, Canada, and co-hosts USA in Group A of the 2024 T20 World Cup. The members not partaking in the IPL 2024 playoffs will be the first batch to leave for the tournament, while the rest of the contingent will follow after the culmination of the IPL on May 26.
Team India's squad for the 2024 T20 World Cup
Squad: Rohit Sharma (Captain), Hardik Pandya (Vice Captain), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant (WK), Sanju Samson (WK), Shivam Dube, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, and Mohammed Siraj.
Reserves – Shubman Gill, Rinku Singh, Khaleel Ahmed, and Avesh Khan.
