New Delhi, September 11 (Daily Kiran) : Former Indian cricketer Ajinkya Rahane believes that the team management should stick with the top three players who led India to victory in the T20 World Cup for the upcoming series against Afghanistan. He emphasized the importance of maintaining the trio of Sanju Samson, Abhishek Sharma, and Ishan Kishan.
Samson had an outstanding World Cup, earning the title of ‘Player of the Tournament.’ However, his performance during the subsequent tour of England fell short of expectations, leading to his exclusion from the team. During that series, young batsman Vaibhav Suryaanshi made his international debut in Manchester.
In the recent T20 series against Zimbabwe, Samson was not included in the squad, with Suryaanshi taking his place as an opener. Now, Samson is back in the fold for the home series against Afghanistan, which kicks off this Sunday at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi.
In a video posted on his YouTube channel, Rahane stated, “I think the top three should remain the same as in the World Cup. Samson performed well, but after a few poor innings, he was dropped. I want him to get another chance. Abhishek and Ishan have also contributed significantly.”
He added, “Vaibhav will get his opportunities, and his time will come. But for now, I believe the top three should be Samson, Abhishek, and Ishan, who have all performed well for us in the World Cup.”
Welcoming Samson’s return to the T20 International team, Rahane expressed his happiness, saying, “I’m glad to see Sanju back. He was the ‘Man of the Series’ in the World Cup. There have been ups and downs, and some things happened that were beyond his control. However, he is a match-winner, and his return strengthens the team.”
Offering advice to the 15-year-old Suryaanshi, Rahane encouraged him to maintain his aggressive mindset at this early stage of his career and to keep his game simple. “I think he should just play his natural game. He needs to trust the skills that got him into the Indian team. This is still the beginning of his career in international cricket.”
Rahane further advised, “He doesn’t need to overthink; he should be allowed to play freely. As he continues to play, his game will evolve over the next couple of years. It’s crucial for him to maintain balance, both on the field and off it. This will be a challenge for him.”
Discussing Suryaanshi’s impressive performances in domestic and franchise cricket, Rahane noted that mental stability will be essential for the young player’s long-term success. “If we talk about cricket skills, we’ve seen how well he batted in the IPL, consistently scoring runs. He has performed well for India A and in the Duleep Trophy for the East Zone. Vaibhav has been consistently good. He just needs to stay mentally balanced and stable to continue performing at this level. Yes, he will need to make some adjustments to his game, but there is time for that.”
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