Sanju Samson would be disappointed. He was given another opportunity in a dead rubber, but yet again, he wasted it. Chances are at a premium at the international level. Sanju is fluffing his lines for fun. The #JusticeForSanju hashtag on social media from his die-hard fans notwithstanding, he is testing the patience of the national selectors and the Indian team management.
It’s surprising that a player of Sanju’s talent has failed to bridge the gap between the IPL and international cricket. Yes, it’s not easy for him, always playing while looking over his shoulder. But that’s the way it is. “Mind probably plays a part,” former India fast bowler Tinu Yohannan, who has known Sanju for a long time, had told RevSportz yesterday. “At Rajasthan Royals, he knows what role is. He also knows it doesn’t matter if he fails.”
India rotated heavily in the third T20I against Sri Lanka at Pallekele. Rishabh Pant, Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel and Arshdeep Singh were rested and Shivam Dube, Washington Sundar and Khaleel Ahmed were brought in. Shubman Gill recovered from his neck injury to open with Yashasvi Jaiswal. After winning the three-match series with a game to spare, rotation was the order of the day.
Sanju retained his place and with Gill back in the playing XI, he was slotted in his favourite No. 3 position. The wicketkeeper-batter proved to be a letdown. Chamindu Wickramasinghe bowled full around off stump, Sanju looked to go over the in-field but got a thick outside edge. Wanindu Hasaranga ran in from deep cover to complete the catch.
Sanju perished for a golden duck, opening the innings, in the second T20I. He got out for a four-ball duck today. He had such a big opportunity to make a statement. There was virtually no pressure. The ball gripped a bit on a pitch that was under wraps for a long time due to rain. But the degree of difficulty was never very steep.
The Indian think-tank would be disappointed that back-up players couldn’t capitalise on a very presentable opportunity. Sanju wasn’t the lone culprit. India quickly slumped to 12/2 after being sent in. Suryakumar Yadav gave his No. 4 position to Rinku Singh, but the southpaw got out for one. He tried to hit Maheesh Theekshana inside out, the ball turned away and Rinku skied it to Matheesha Pathirana.
Surya took a four off Theekshana, but trying to sweep Asitha Fernando, he was caught at deep fine-leg by Hasaranga. Gill was playing well at the other end, and Dube’s job was to give him company. The latter failed, outside-edging an attempted cut behind the stumps against off-spinner Ramesh Mendis.
Riyan Parag flattered to deceive. After hitting two towering sixes off Hasaranga, he perished to a half-tracker from the leg-spinner. Parag’s 18-ball 26 offered promise, but the youngster would be unhappy with the manner of his dismissal. Still, without his cameo and Washington Sundar’s 18-ball 25, India’s total — 137/9 — wouldn’t have attained respectability.