Sanju Samson has been rewarded for his good performance in the ongoing Indian Premier League 2024 (IPL 2024) with a place in the Indian squad for the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup 2024. The 15-member Indian squad for the main event was announced on Tuesday (April 30).
Sanju Samson has impressed everyone with his performance as a batsman and captain in the ongoing IPL 2024. He has led Rajasthan Royals from the front this season. With an impressive 8 wins from 9 games, the Royals are currently at the top of the points table and have all but secured their place in the playoffs.
The right-handed batsman is his team’s top run-scorer this season ahead of the likes of Jos Buttler and Yashasvi Jaiswal. In nine games so far, the Kerala star has scored 385 runs with the help of four half-centuries. He has a 77 average and a strike rate of over 160 this season.
Sanju Samson was selected as the wicketkeeper:
Sanju Samson has been involved in a tough race with several candidates for the wicketkeeper position in the Indian squad. Apart from him, Rishabh Pant, KL Rahul, Ishan Kishan, Dhruv Jurel, Jitesh Sharma and even Dinesh Karthik were in the race.
Recent reports suggest that Sanju Samson could miss out as the selectors were keen to pick a wicketkeeper who could bat further down the order. However, the selectors have picked Sanju Samson and Rishabh Pant as the two wicketkeepers in the team. While Pant is playing his third T20 World Cup, Sanju Samson is gearing up for his maiden T20 World Cup appearance.
Manifested this. Sanju Samson for the T20 World Cup! 🇮🇳❤️ pic.twitter.com/C2Vm28BsxY
— Rajasthan Royals (@rajasthanroyals) April 30, 2024
Here’s how Twitter reacted to Sanju Samson’s inclusion in the World Cup squad:
Shashi Tharoor after Sanju Samson was named in the World Cup squad pic.twitter.com/L32wZjAEN6
– Sagar (@sagarcasm) April 30, 2024
Sanju Samson announced in T20 World Cup squad. #T20WorldCup pic.twitter.com/qN2hRGwpX4
— Himanshu Pareek (@Sports_Himanshu) April 30, 2024
With Sanju Samson and Dube in the squad, you deserve it! ♥️#SanjuSamson #Dube #T20WorldCup2024 #TeamIndia #T20WorldCup24 pic.twitter.com/jExIwGM827
—poorna_choudary (@poornachoudary1) April 30, 2024
I find Sanju Samson, Rishabh Pant and Rinku Singh in the T20 World Cup team.
#T20WorldCup24 pic.twitter.com/V08bRDtDXY— UmdarTamker (@UmdarTamker) April 30, 2024
Proud of you, Sanju Samson 🩷
From his debut in 2015 to being banned from playing until 2020. From watching every junior play in front of him and the motivation.
He surpassed all overseas hundreds scored in South Africa. Captained RR well and has now broken the doors open to open the WC dream. pic.twitter.com/2HLEz7z36f
— Anurag™ (@Samsoncentral) April 30, 2024
I am happy to see Sanju Samson in the T20 World Cup squad. Well deserved. pic.twitter.com/ZTOvzLhiCj
– RATNISH (@LoyalSachinFan) April 30, 2024
Expected squad and especially happy for Sanju and Shivam Dube 👌👏 #T20WorldCup
— S. Badrinath (@s_badrinath) April 30, 2024
I feel sorry for Rinku. Six months ago he was one of the first names on the team list. And now he’s outside the 15th.
I am happy for Dube and Sanju. And of course the rest of the team too. I wish Team India all the best 🙌😇
Jai Hind. JaiBharat. 🇮🇳– Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) April 30, 2024
As for Samson’s T20I career so far, he has represented Team India in 25 T20Is so far and has scored 374 runs with the help of a half-century.
India’s squad for the T20 World Cup:
Rohit Sharma (Captain), Hardik Pandya (Vice-Captain), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant (WK), Sanju Samson (WK), Shivam Dube, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Arshdeep Singh , Jasprit Bumrah, Mohd. Siraj.