• Home
  • Who Said What
  • Jitesh Samson Are Ex Kkr Star Explains Why Ishan Wasnt Picked For Afg T20is

'Jitesh & Samson Are..', Ex-KKR Star Explains Why Ishan Wasn't Picked For AFG T20Is

image-lr4rd64cIshan Kishan won't play in AFG T20Is [X.com]

Former Indian cricketer Aakash Chopra believes Sanju Samson and Jitesh Sharma might have been chosen over Ishan Kishan in India's T20I squad against Afghanistan for their ability to play as middle-order wicketkeeper-batters. 

Team India is set to play a three-match T20I series against Afghanistan starting on January 11. This series serves as their preparation for the T20 World Cup 2024, which is scheduled to be co-hosted by the USA and West Indies in June.  

Meanwhile, the selectors have announced a 16-member squad for the series, marking the return of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli to T20Is since November 2022, when they last appeared in the World Cup semi-final against England.

The squad also saw a notable exclusion in Ishan Kishan, while Sanju Samson and Jitesh Sharma were favoured as the preferred wicketkeeper-batters. Speaking in his YouTube video on the matter, here's what Aakash Chopra said:

“Jitesh Sharma and Sanju Samson are the two wicketkeepers, although Samson wasn't kept as a keeper in the last two series. Ishan Kishan was going as a keeper but he is not there now. Nobody knows why Ishan Kishan isn't there, that's a different story." 

The former India opener further pointed out that the lack of vacant top-order spots could be the driving factor behind picking Samson and Jitesh. 

"You have suddenly filled up the opening slot. Virat Kohli plays at No. 3, he doesn't play at No. 4. So the keeper has to bat down the order. You have only two keeping options who can bat down the order, one is Jitesh Sharma and the other is Sanju Samson." 

Notably, Kishan withdrew from the recent Test series against South Africa, citing mental fatigue. It remains unclear whether he has been overlooked for the Afghanistan T20Is or is still unavailable for selection.