New Delhi ,jun 14
Former India pacer Sreesanth believes India should stick to the winning combination, but Sanju Samson would be the one change he would like to see in the playing XI.After years of waiting and hard work for an opportunity to leave his mark on the global stage, Samson found it after being called to the India T20 World Cup squad. He led the Rajasthan Royals into the playoffs of the recently concluded Indian Premier League season on the back of his stellar performances with the bat and behind the stumps.
He featured in the warm-up match against Bangladesh as an opener but failed to leave his mark on the ticky New York surface.
During the first three games of the World Cup campaign, Samson remained confined to spectator duties. Along with Samson, youngster Yashasvi Jaiswal has been in the dugout, patiently waiting for his moment to shine in the tournament.
Sreesanth feels Jaiswal can enter the fray if the management decides to put up a different opening duo than the established stalwart duo of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. The former seamer feels the arrival of Jaiswal will give him more freedom to express himself, as he will be aware that Kohli will be next in line to take control of the escalating situation.
“Nobody wants to change the winning combination. I know Rahul bhai (Dravid), old school is the best school. So his thinking will be the same. RoKo (Rohit and Virat) will open. If they don’t open, then yes, instead of Dube, Jaiswal could come in. This will give more depth to the batting, and Jaiswal will get freedom because Virat Kohli, the legend, is at number three. So Jaiswal will have the freedom to express himself, which he would love to do,” Sreesanth, who features as an expert on Caught and Bold on Disney+ Hotstar, said while speaking exclusively to ANI.
Sreesanth strongly believes that Jadeja’s place should never be questioned because he has proved his worth by producing match-winning performances in clutch moments over the years.
“I won’t say anything about Ravindra Jadeja; he is a match-winner. Let’s not forget and judge him; he is a match-winner. We have seen him perform for CSK or any other match. He comes out when there is pressure and stress. He plays a magical knock and delivers with the ball. He is also a gun fielder, so we should never question his place,” he stated.
After securing a spot in the Super 8, India will play their final group stage game against Canada in Florida on Saturday.
