Cheteshwar Pujara backs Sanju Samson to retain T20I spot, praises skipper Shreyas Iyer’s maturity against England

Former India batter Cheteshwar Pujara has backed Sanju Samson to get an extended run in India's T20I top order against England. Pujara also praised stand-in captain Shreyas Iyer’s brilliant 68-run knock in the rain-hit Durham opener

New Delhi: Former India batter Cheteshwar Pujara addressed the discussion surrounding India’s top order ahead of the second T20I against England, making it clear that he does not believe Sanju Samson should lose his place to accommodate Vaibhav Sooryavanshi despite growing calls for the teenage batter to be included in the playing XI.

The veteran batter added that constant speculation over Samson’s place in the side was unnecessary, insisting the wicketkeeper-batter deserves a longer run.

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“I think India should persist with Sanju Samson. I don’t think he should be feeling any pressure. He has proved himself in the T20 World Cup and, with the kind of talent he possesses, he should be there in the playing XI,” Pujara said on JioStar. “There shouldn’t be a lot of noise about dropping Sanju Samson. He is a quality player and should get a longer run. Sanju just needs to bat naturally and not think too much,” he added.

While Pujara acknowledged that Sooryavanshi has earned an opportunity, he argued that the youngster’s inclusion should not come at the cost of disrupting India’s established top order.

“If Vaibhav needs to play, he should play, but not at the expense of dropping someone, rather by resting someone. If you want to give him an opportunity, that is fine. But you shouldn’t be dropping any of India’s top three players, whether it’s Sanju, Abhishek or Ishan Kishan. Having said that, Vaibhav does deserve an opportunity, and his opportunity will come,” he mentioned.

Pujara also praised captain Shreyas Iyer’s composed innings after India recovered from an early setback to post a competitive total in the rain-hit opening T20I against England in Durham.

With India losing early wickets after electing to bat first, Pujara said Iyer’s ability to steady the innings before accelerating played a decisive role in putting the visitors in a strong position.

Pujara felt Iyer delivered exactly what was expected of a captain after India found themselves under pressure in the powerplay, balancing caution with aggression as the innings progressed.

“It was an important knock from Shreyas Iyer and, when you are leading the team, you always look to lead from the front. He showed a lot of maturity because India were in trouble after losing a couple of early wickets,” Pujara told JioStar.

He also credited Iyer for pacing his innings according to the match situation before shifting gears once he was well established at the crease.

“Abhishek played a good knock, but it was important for Shreyas to hold one end up and take his time. Once he was set, he played some quality shots,” he added.

According to Pujara, the India captain’s innings reflected both responsibility and leadership, leaving the side in an excellent position by the end of its 20 overs.

“If you look at his innings at the end of the 20 overs, you know that, as a captain, you have done your job. You have put your team in a very commanding position. This was a perfect knock from Shreyas, both as a leader and as a batter,” he said.