The Kerala ace had a forgetful day at work when Hardik Pandia-led Men In Blue faced Sri Lanka in the first leg of the series at his stadium in Wankhede on Tuesday. During a close match between Asian heavyweights, wicket-keeper Samson struggled against Team India’s Yanagi and failed to catch Sri Lanka’s opener Pathum Nissanka.
His first T20I match against Rajasthan Royals (RR) and a team led by Dasun Shanaka included his memorable 5-for-6 shot by the RR captain. Samson is in doubt as the starter for the series-winners’ match between India and Sri Lanka on Thursday following recent developments.
Cricbuzz reports that Samson did not travel to Pune with the Pandia-led team for his second match of T20I against Sri Lanka.
After trying to catch the Sri Lankan batsman in the first over at Wankhede, Samson felt a wobble in his knee. He reportedly developed swelling and was told to see a doctor, but the standout player continued to play after the event.
After Samson’s dismal performance against Sri Lanka in the first T20I, veteran batsman Sunil Gavaskar challenged him.
After facing his five deliveries in the first game of the series, Samson decided to fight. Samson attacked Dhananjaya de Silva, but it backfired as the wicketkeeper’s batsman was cheaply served on the power play.
But Indian skipper Hardik Pandya’s endurance is also a big concern. Former Indian opener Gautam Gambhir also raised the issue, saying the coaching staff should already be looking to strengthen Pandya for the team’s all-rounder position. This is what Gambhir had to say about his health concerns.
