Sanju Samson boasts a terrific ODI record.
Among many surprises in India’s squad for Australia ODIs was Dhruv Jurel’s selection over Sanju Samson as backup wicketkeeper-batter. With Rishabh Pant unavailable due to a foot injury, India were required to pick someone else for the role, and while Samson seemed the prime contender, Jurel got the nod ahead.
Chief selector Ajit Agarkar explained what prompted them to select Jurel, who has yet to make his ODI debut, over Samson, who hit a century in his last outing in the format. According to him, the team wanted someone naturally suited for the middle and lower middle-order role, which Rahul has been doing for the team in recent years, and Jurel is naturally suited for it.
“It’s more (because of) position. Sanju Samson bats at the top of the order. I think he batted at 3 when he got the hundred, if I am not wrong. Jurel usually bats lower down the order; KL [Rahul] bats there as well. You’ve seen how good a player Dhruv is, so if you are looking at spots, I don’t think there’s room at the top again.”
Agarkar stated the opposite of what the reality is: Samson has played 14 ODI innings, and 10 of those have come at No.5 or below, scoring 296 runs at an average of 59.20 and a strike rate of 101.36, including two fifties. It’s baffling that the management is banking on his pace-hitting to fit him into the T20I middle order, yet overlooks him for the very same role in ODIs, despite his proven record there.
When it comes to quality, both Sanju Samson and Dhruv Jurel are equally good and bring certain abilities that are hard to replicate. In the current scenario, Jurel finds himself ahead due to his recent rise as a Test batter, where he has shown skills to bat in various situations and positions according to the team’s requirements.
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It’s hard not to be impressed with what he brings to the table, irrespective of the format, because he is among the most technically sound young batters in the country. More often than not, selectors prioritise players with a higher ceiling than short-term success, and Jurel is one for the long run, especially with age on his side.
Pant’s injury issues have tempted selectors to look for alternatives in the wicketkeeping department, and Jurel has already succeeded in that role with flying colours in Tests. Now, they want to groom him by giving him ODI exposure, as he will eventually become permanent in this format due to his superior talent.
Eventually, India retain quality, no matter who they select between Samson and Jurel. That said, Samson has all the right reasons to feel hard done by, given his mighty record in this format, and should have been the third wicketkeeper-batter in the pecking order.
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