Sanju Samson To Open Innings With KL Rahul, Rohit Sharma Rested For Wellington Match

Virat Kohli had indicated that he would test his bench strength during the Wellington Twenty20 International against New Zealand following their heart-stopping win in the Super Over at Seddon Park in Hamilton. New Zealand chose to bowl and India made three changes to the side. Navdeep Saini replaced Mohammed Shami, Washington Sundar replaced Ravindra Jadeja while Rohit Sharma, the match-winner in the Hamilton game was replaced by Sanju Samson. "We have rested Rohit, Shami and Jadeja. Sanju Samson is going to open the innings with KL Rahul. Washington Sundar and Saini are in. Three exciting additions to the squad, quite keen to see how they go," Kohli added.

The move to let Samson open the batting with KL Rahul is a welcome boost to a career that has not taken off. Samson has been considered one of the most unluckiest cricketers in the Indian cricket team. His first T20I was in 2015 against Zimbabwe and he did not represent India for at least five years. In the series against Bangladesh, South Africa and West Indies, Samson was benched but he got his chance in the final game against Sri Lanka in Pune. Samson got going with a six but was cleaned up by a googly next ball as he failed to capitalise on his second coming. However, the game in Wellington represents a golden opportunity for Samson to do well.

Rohit Sharma Rested

Rohit Sharma was the star in Hamilton as he blasted 65 and hit two sixes in the final two balls of the Super Over to help India win their first-ever T20I series in New Zealand. Kane Williamson had played a knock which defied logic as New Zealand looked set to keep the series alive. He blasted sixes off Yuzvendra Chahal and Ravindra Jadeja while he thwarted Jasprit Bumrah, the world's best death bowler with three boundaries. Williamson raced to 95 and New Zealand needed nine runs off the last over to be bowled by Mohammed Shami. Ross Taylor hit a six and then took a single as the equation boiled down to two runs off three balls. The game was up. But, Shami had other ideas. Rather than bowling full, Shami resroted to the short ball tactic.

Sanju Samson was on the field as a substitute for the Hamilton game on Wednesday. (Image credit: Getty Images)

Williamson steered a short ball to the keeper while Tim Seifert played out a dot ball. The next ball was a bye and Shami delivered the sucker punch by bowling Taylor with a full ball. With the match going into the Super Over, New Zealand managed to smash 17 runs with Williamson once again getting the better of Bumrah. However, with 10 needed off two balls, Rohit Sharma broke New Zealand hearts by smashing two sixes in the last two balls as India won the match in the most dramatic circumstances and won a series for the first time in New Zealand. At the post-match press conference, Rohit, who won the Man of the Match award credited Shami for the win and not his knock.

Also Read | India T20 Squad For New Zealand: Rohit Sharma, Mohammed Shami Return, Sanju Samson Dropped

"I think Mohammed Shami's last over was crucial, and actually that got us the victory. Not my two sixes. It was Shami's over where we defended nine runs. It's not easy with the dew. The wicket settling in nicely and two set batsmen out there as well... One batsman was batting on 95 and their most experienced player was at the other end. Hats off to Shami to bowl that over and get us back into the game and into the Super Over. The wicket settling in nicely and two set batsmen out there as well... One batsman was batting on 95 and their most experienced player was at the other end. Hats off to Shami to bowl that over and get us back into the game and into the Super Over," Rohit said.

RELATED