Following their loss in the first ODI in Auckland, Team India made a few changes to their playing XI for the second ODI.
One of the two changes was young wicketkeeper-batter Sanju Samson, who was once again on the losing end of the team balance and was forced to sit out after only one game.
Samson was dropped for the second ODI on Sunday to make room for more bowling depth, and the decision enraged fans, who blamed captain Shikhar Dhawan and head coach VVS Laxman.
Deepak Hooda replaced Sanju Samson in the second ODI.
Sanju Samson was not selected for the three-match T20I series, with captain Hardik Pandya citing an “unfortunate” case and a “strategic” reason.
He was given a chance in the first ODI earlier this week, scoring a 38-ball 36 and stitching a crucial 96-run stand with Shreyas Iyer, which aided India’s comeback.
But Samson dropped again for the second ODI on Sunday to make room for more bowling depth, and the decision enraged fans, who blamed captain Shikhar Dhawan and head coach VVS Laxman.
“Instead of Shardul Thakur, Deepak Chahar comes in and Deepak Hooda comes in place of Sanju Samson,” said Dhawan after losing the toss.
The decision to drop Samson has disappointed Indian cricket fans, who have accused the skipper and the BCCI of “favoritism.”
Teams:
India (Playing XI): Shikhar Dhawan(c), Shubman Gill, Shreyas Iyer, Rishabh Pant(w), Suryakumar Yadav, Deepak Hooda, Washington Sundar, Deepak Chahar, Umran Malik, Arshdeep Singh, Yuzvendra Chahal
New Zealand (Playing XI): Finn Allen, Devon Conway, Kane Williamson(c), Daryl Mitchell, Tom Latham(w), Glenn Phillips, Mitchell Santner, Michael Bracewell, Matt Henry, Tim Southee, Lockie Ferguson
Here’s how Twitter reacted…
This is horrible. Sanju has to sit out even after doing well in ODIs. What else this guy needs to do yaar. Absolute favoritism.
— Praful VK (@Prafu4u) November 27, 2022
#SanjuSamson is dropped in one game in overseas condition. Last game was average of Sanju but how a player can proved himself entirely in just one game.i am speechless 😔😔😔 pic.twitter.com/N8Nh2Q08nm
— Chetan Choudhary 🇮🇳🇮🇳🇮🇳 (@ChetanC75495924) November 27, 2022
Cricket craze gonna end here. Thanks to BCCI. from viru, yuvi to msd to sanju samson. Sanju is a victim of favourism running in bcci. Until it is stopped, I won’t be watching any matches of team india. Replacing inform batsman is ridiculous. No more tweets🤐🤐🤐 #SanjuSamson pic.twitter.com/cCfxMz8uMX
— ADARSH J S (@never_give_u_p_) November 27, 2022
#SanjuSamson
No Godfather in Selection Comittee
How a player feel last match he played well and the next game he is out of the team
One more thing last game failures get the next match also
It’s enough you don’t pick Sanju for any series and also don’t do it anyone else.Hurted pic.twitter.com/pnjvtHy1CV— 🅰🅹🅸🆃🅷 🅽🅰🆁🅰🆈🅰🅽🅰🅽 (@AjithNa49153322) November 27, 2022