Former India cricketer Robin Uthappa feels Sanju Samson and Deepak Hooda should play the finisher’s role for India in T20Is. He added that the team needs to groom the duo for the 2024 T20 World Cup. Wicket-keeper batter Dinesh Karthik was the finisher for India in the recently concluded T20 World Cup in Australia. However, he failed to make much of an impact in the tournament.
Dinesh Karthik wasn’t named by the Indian selectors for the ongoing tour of New Zealand, indicating that they may be thinking beyond him. Robin Uthappa feels Sanju Samson and Deepak Hooda are well suited for the role, with Hardik Pandya already in the ranks. Both Hooda and Samson are part of the Indian T20I team for the New Zealand series.
Speaking exclusively to Sportskeeda, the former India cricketer said,
“Hardik will obviously be there. But besides him, I feel Sanju Samson and Deepak Hooda should play the finisher’s role for India. These are the people that they need to look at leading up to the next T20 World Cup. You need to groom them and give them enough opportunities because they can win you matches.”
Need to be patient with the finishers: Robin Uthappa
Former India cricketer Robin Uthappa further expressed that batting lower down the order in T20Is. He added that the success rate at number 6 isn’t great. Uthappa opined that the selectors and the Indian management need to be patient with the finishers. The 37-year-old said to Sportskeeda,
“Kaif bhai will know that to bat at the No. 6 position is never easy and the success rate isn’t always high. So you need to be patient with them and it is important for the selectors, the coaching staff, and the leadership group to exercise this patience. I feel No. 4-7 are the toughest places to bat in T20 cricket.”
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