*THE SANJU VS SURYA DEBATE: WHERE IS THE INDIAN CRICKET HEADING?*
*THE BUILD UP:*
India have been a powerhouse in cricket. Lots of talent, great depth, great skillset and alot of money to follow this up. They have the correct players and it’s a no brainer but the Asian side doesn’t have anything to show for it. The trophies have not been knocking the doors of Indian cricket and a for long time, we have been crashing out during the crucial junctures of the tournament- upsetting the fans, the board, and lastly the players who contest dearly. This trend has been very frustrating to watch and this year, India have the chance to break the drought again with a World Cup approaching. But before that is the Asia Cup which gives us a chance to test our bunch of players who will be putting their energy on the line in the mega event. This Asia Cup is like a dress rehearsal for India and others and with Srilanka’s stocks on the rise, Pakistan looking dangerous as ever with their pace battery at the top of their mark and with Bangladesh and Afghanistan’s extremely unpredictable nature- it makes it an exciting contest.
Like always, India have made a bold yet controversial call with Sanju being asked to be a part of the reserves and Surya being included in the main squad alongside his other Mumbaikar teammates Kishan and Tilak Verma.
*DID SURYA DESERVE THE CUT?*
He has the game, he has the skillset and the best part about him is his ability to generate quick runs. But did he really deserve this spot despite producing some very middling performances in ODIs in his short career span?
India have backed the experience of the man and with the World Cup in India on grounds that he knows well, it should bode well for him however it doesn’t bode well for others who have been grinding it out in the format for long and one name that comes to my mind is Sanju Samson. Surya has been one of the favorites of ICT ever since he has dominated the T20I format with utmost brutality but to pick him in a tougher format where he doesn’t have much to show for in the past is a debatable call. The team would need his services to make the middle order strong and get those quick runs by manipulating the field and he needs to answer the calls of the management with so much pressure on them already.
*SANJU AND THE STORY OF INJUSTICE:*
Sanju Samson, often seen as the disturbed soul who has been putting in the hard yards in the domestics, was on the sidelines again. He has been put into the reserves and this is not a good sign specially after the kind of ODI form that he has been in, lately. The 28 year old has been a consistent bet who has banked upon his hitting skills and six smashing powers to get over the line for the team and going by his reputation in 50 over cricket, he should have made it. The Indian management has done him dirty but he still has the time. The schedule before the World Cup gives him plenty of time to make a mark and break into the squad late. Only time would tell how this debate debacle pans out as two big events come nearer and nearer.