Pietersen backs Samson to take Indian wicketkeeper’s place

Rishabh Pant is someone who disappoints because we expect a lot from him. In order to get that India tag and play international cricket, you need to show some consistency and get better.

Hyderabad: The retirement of MS Dhoni from international cricket paved way for many discussions over the ideal replacement for the former captain. Though Rishabh Pant has been hailed as the perfect fit, he failed to impress with both bat and gloves after he was given a long rope.

Former England batsman Kevin Pietersen backed Sanju Samson to fill in Dhoni’s shoes in Indian team. “Rishabh Pant is someone who disappoints because we expect a lot from him. In order to get that India tag and play international cricket, you need to show some consistency and get better. But I am seeing the same player that I saw the year before, the year before, and the year before that. For as long as he has played, he has been inconsistent,” said Pietersen.

“And when I see Sanju Samson, I see somebody completely different. The dedication and commitment that he put into, turning up for this year’s IPL that mighty impressed me. That actually got me having him ahead of Rishabh Pant. Just purely from a diet basis, fitness basis, and a dedication space, Samson seems to say ‘I want to go out there and do everything in my power to play cricket for India’”, he added.