Sanju Samson to Open With Rohit Sharma in West Indies ODIs? Former BCCI Chief Selector Says It's Possible

It’s the ODI World Cup year and naturally, the focus will be on the 50-over format for every team going forward. With less than three months remaining before the marquee event gets underway in India, the 10 participants will have started fine-tuning their preparations.

India last won the ODI World Cup in 2011 and have since exited the quadrennial spectacle in quarterfinals (2015) and semis (2019). They are the hosts this time around and in home conditions, they will hope to lay their hands on that trophy again being one of the favourites.

As part of their preparations, India will be playing in a three-match ODI series in West Indies that starts later this month.

The India squad for the matches has already been named with Sanju Samson and Ruturaj Gaikwad recalled for ODIs.

Along with Ishan Kishan, Samson is the second wicketkeeper-batter in the 17-man squad and he will be hoping to make an impression to retain his place for the world cup.

However, it will be interesting to see where Samson fits in the batting order with former chairman of BCCI selectors MSK Prasad ruling out him playing in the middle order thanks to the presence of Suryakumar Yadav.

Prasad says Samson is a top-order batter and hence there’s a possibility of him being tried as an opener alongside captain Rohit Sharma.

“Surya is already there, I don’t think there will be a competition between Sanju Samson and Suryakumar Yadav. Sanju is a top-order batter and Surya is middle order number 4 and number 5 batter. You never know you can also see Sanju Samson open along with Rohit Sharma. So I don’t think there’s any competition between Sanju and Surya, the competition will be between Sanju and a wicketkeeper-batsman,” Prasad told Khel Now.

The prospect looks promising but with the likes of Shubman Gill, Ishan Kishan and Gaikwad already in the touring party, it’s difficult to see Samson teaming up with Rohit to open the innings.

Samson last played an ODI during the New Zealand tour in 2022.

Prasad also feels that India need one finishing touch to end their 10-year-long wait for an ICC trophy.

“It is unfortunate that despite playing so good cricket in the ICC events, we are empty-handed. Also New Zealand since 1975 have failed to get that finishing touch as well and failed in the semifinals most of the time. India just need that one finishing touch to be champions and definitely in the next World Cup we will get there,” he said.