Indian wicket-keeper batsman Sanju Samson suffered an injury prior to the 1st ODI against Sri Lanka. Consequently, he was rendered unavailable for selection.
Sanju Samson was touted as the first-choice keeper for India ahead of the Sri Lankan tour. Unfortunately, the injury comes as a big blow to the Kerala batsman. Rising star Ishan Kishan was named in the team list prior to the toss. BCCI confirmed the same:
“Sanju Samson sprained a ligament in his knee and was hence not available for selection for the 1st ODI. The medical team is tracking his progress at the moment.”
Samson was already a fringe player after a few failures for the national team. If Kishan grabs his opportunity and performs well, the future looks bleak for Samson. Nevertheless, the team management will be hoping for a quick recovery.
Suryakumar Yadav also makes his debut alongside Ishan Kishan
Mumbai Indians batsman Suryakumar Yadav was also handed his cap ahead of the 1st ODI. He had recently made his debut in T20I at home against England. Although he impressed in the shortest format, his selection was not guaranteed in the ODI’s.
A bit of fortune went his way after team India announced a second-string squad for the Sri Lankan tour. Now that he is in the ODI team, he will look to make the top-order slot his own. He is expected to come in at No.3, the role which looks most natural for him.
In other exciting news for Indian fans, Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal will be playing together for the first time. The famed duo, ‘Kul-Cha’, were separated after a torrid time against England in the 2019 ODI World Cup. Many people consider this to be their last chance to rebuild their rapport.
If either of them fails, it’s hard to fathom a possible comeback in the foreseeable future.
