‘He’s much better than Dhruv Jurel!’: Former cricketer calls out India selectors for ‘wrong’ call in ODI squad for Australia | Cricket News
Former India cricketer Mohammad Kaif believes that Sanju Samson should have been part of India’s ODI squad for the upcoming tour of Australia, calling him a better fit for the lower middle order than Dhruv Jurel. While acknowledging Jurel’s impressive performance in the Test series against the West Indies, Kaif said Samson’s six-hitting ability and experience in Australian conditions could have been more valuable. “I feel that Dhruv Jurel played really well when he scored that century (against WI). He looked very compact and organized, and he is definitely the future of Indian cricket. 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 5 or 6, and for that position, he is a much better option than Jurel,” Kaif said on his YouTube channel.Watch Mohammad Kaif’s rant on leaving Sanju Samson out of the ODI team Jurel, who was part of the Test side, has been named in the 15-member ODI squad for the three-match series starting October 19 in Perth. However, KL Rahul is expected to keep wickets during the ODIs, with Samson returning for the T20I leg later this month. Kaif felt that Samson’s ability to clear the boundary consistently, especially against spinners, makes him a better choice for the middle order. “At that spot, you need someone who can hit sixes, especially against spinners. We saw Sanju Samson’s strength in the Asia Cup. If he had gone to Australia, he would have hit Adam Zampa for maximums. He’s in the top 10 for most sixes in the IPL, and he fits perfectly at number 5 or 6 in Australian conditions,” Kaif added.
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The former India batter also cautioned against judging selections solely on short-term form. “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 said. The India-Australia ODI series begins October 19, followed by five T20Is from October 29.
