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Sanju Samson vs Rishabh Pant: The statistics conundrum

Considering that Samson has not been included in the squad for the upcoming series against Australia, things look bleak for the Kerala lad. Selectors might be backing Pant to play the T20 World Cup, but it appears to be a tightrope walk now.

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Rishabh Pant vs Sanju Samson

When Rishabh Pant made his first-class debut in October 2015, Sanju Samson had already stepped into the international arena, playing the T20 match against Zimbabwe the same year in July. Four and a half years down the lane, the 22-year-old Pant has played 11 tests, 15 ODIs and 28 T20Is, but not again has Samson managed to break into India’s playing eleven.

While Samson had been fairly consistent with his IPL performances, Pant outclassed him in the last two seasons with his explosive batting. In 2018 IPL, Pant amassed 684 runs at an average of 52.61 and a scarcely believable strike rate of  173.60. His 2019 season with Delhi Capitals was also brilliant for him, as he scored 488 runs at an average of 37.53 and a strike rate over 160.

Samson’s performances on the other hand were not bad at all. He has two IPL centuries under his belt, and an overall average of 27.61 and a strike rate of 130.24 in the Indian Premier League. Mentored by Rahul Dravid, he has played many crucial knocks for Rajasthan Royals in the tournament.

Dhoni’s successor

The rumours before the World Cup 2019 was that MS Dhoni would retire from international cricket after the tournament. The selectors also seemed keen to give more chances to youngsters than to the 38-year-old Dhoni.

Although the ex-Indian captain hasn’t announced his retirement, he hasn’t played a match after India’s World Cup semi-final loss against New Zealand in July 2019. He was also not part of any of the Indian squads announced after the World Cup.

What worked for Pant was the fact that he peaked at the right time. Considering his last two stupendous IPL seasons, the selectors hoped Pant to be the right person to take up India’s wicket-keeper mantle. The left-handed batsman used to instil fear in the opposition minds with his aggressive stroke making, something which Dhoni was also famous for. When Wriddhiman Saha took a break from cricket due to an injury, Pant also got a chance to play the longer format of the game in Indian jersey.

Being good was not enough for Samson.

Pant’s poor run in the recent games

But is Pant capable of carrying Dhoni’s legacy forward? The Delhi lad’s international stats belie his talent. He averages just 20.5 in T20Is from 28 matches. His ODI performances till date also have not been up to the mark – In 15 matches, he was able to cross the fifty run mark only once.  Although Pant averages over 44 in test matches, he was eventually replaced by Saha after a series of poor scores.

It is to be noted that Saha didn’t replace Pant straight away after coming back from injury. He was benched initially, but Pant’s struggles with the bat gave opportunity to the 35-year-old Saha to get back to the only format he plays for India.

And he grabbed it with both hands. Saha’s exceptional wicket keeping was a talking point in India’s recent test series against South Africa and Bangladesh. Although he averages much lower than Pant in tests, Kohli seems to trust his hands behind the stumps more than Pant.

Pant’s rash stroke making, which was earlier his prime weapon, eventually turned out to be a cause of concern. Some irresponsible shots in some matches made critics question his temperament. Adding to that the fact that he was supposed to be the replacement of Dhoni – someone who rarely makes a careless move – pressure kept mounting on Pant.

He was stuck in no man’s land – whether to continue playing his natural game that gave him the repute he has or to get back into his shell and play more meticulous inningses. Low confidence led to his downfall – his clean bat-swing went missing, while wicket keeping became an area for mocking.

The crowd chanting “Dhoni.. Dhoni” whenever he missed a chance behind the stumps was the evidence the public wasn’t happy with the long run given to Pant, despite his poor performances.

Can Samson break in?

Samson hasn’t got many chances in the Indian colours, but he is definitely breathing down the neck of Pant. In the Vijay Hazare trophy last year, the Kerala wicket-keeper batsman smashed an unbeaten 212 against Goa in just 129 deliveries, becoming the sixth Indian to hit a List A double-century.

Samson’s sound technique and ability to pierce gaps and hit big shots had been on display on multiple occasions in the IPL. However, despite his performances, he hasn’t got many opportunities. He was part of the squad against West Indies but didn’t get a game. He is also part of the team for T20Is against Sri Lanka – with one match to go in the series, it seems unlikely that he will be getting a chance.

Pant has the backing of his Captain and the selectors. Many experts have come in support of Pant, asking the public to not put extra pressure on the young dashing batsman. BCCI president Sourav Ganguly recently said that “Pant is a special talent… and selection should be left to the selectors”.

Considering that Samson has not been included in the squad for the upcoming series against Australia, things look bleak for the Kerala lad. Selectors might be backing Pant to play the T20 World Cup, but it appears to be a tightrope walk now. Because if Pant fails to perform in upcoming series as well, Samson should be given adequate time to get used to playing in the high level games before becoming India’s first choice wicket keeper for this year’s World Cup. India shouldn’t be going to the tournament without a clarity on this front.

2024 Lok Sabha Elections

Farooq Abdullah accuses PM Modi of trying to divide the country over religion

Faroukh Abdullah reacted to PM Modi’s remark that the Congress will redistribute people’s money and property to Muslims if voted to power and said Muslims respect all religions. He said that they are Muslims and Allah has told them to respect other religions. He further added that a Muslim cannot snatch anyone’s right.

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Farooq Abdullah, Jammu and Kashmir’s National Conference President said on Wednesday that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was trying to divide the country over religion. He also said that those who will vote for them must prepare for hell. Farooq Abdullah said Muslims cannot snatch away the rights of others.

Farooq Abdullah also called Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government a threat to the survival of the country. Omar Abdullah, former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister cautioned the people not to divide this country on the basis of religion, otherwise a storm will unleash making the survival of the nation difficult. He said it is better to talk about uniting the country, instead of dividing its people.

He was addressing an election rally in Thanamandi area of the Rajouri district in Jammu and Kashmir. The Anantnag parliamentary constituency will go for elections on May 25. Faroukh Abdullah reacted to PM Modi’s remark that the Congress will redistribute people’s money and property to Muslims if voted to power and said Muslims respect all religions. He said that they are Muslims and Allah has told them to respect other religions. He further added that a Muslim cannot snatch anyone’s right.

He remembered an incident when former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi once stopped his car in Pulwama and assured a poor Hindu woman that he would give her a mangalsutra as she could not afford it. Farooq Abdullah said those who were against the INDIA bloc are against the nation.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had earlier sparked a controversy last month as he commented that the Congress would take away the hard-earned money of the masses and distribute them among infiltrators and those with many children.  Speaking at a rally today, the Prime Minister took a jibe at the Congress and said the governments in the past were not able to implement the Indian Constitution in Jammu and Kashmir. He was referring to the revocation of Article 370.

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Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah writes to PM Modi, urges home ministry to cancel diplomatic passport of Prajwal Revanna

CM Siddaramaiah wrote in the letter to PM Modi that he must be aware of the serious case of alleged sexual exploitation of a number of women by the sitting Hassan Lok Sabha member of Parliament (MP) and the NDA candidate, Prajwal Revanna, for the same constituency for the  ongoing 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

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Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Wednesday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, where he urged the Home Affairs Ministry to cancel the diplomatic passport of Prajwal Revanna. Earlier a day before Revanna was suspended by JD(S) amid a row over explicit videos. Revanna is believed to have escaped to Germany shortly after the first phase of elections ended in Karnataka on April 26, in which he was JD(S)-BJP’s candidate from Hassan.

CM Siddaramaiah wrote in the letter to PM Modi that he must be aware of the serious case of alleged sexual exploitation of a number of women by the sitting Hassan Lok Sabha member of Parliament (MP) and the NDA candidate, Prajwal Revanna, for the same constituency for the  ongoing 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

The Karnataka Chief Minister wrote in letter that the Congress government in Karnataka has constituted a Special Investigation Team to investigate the allegations against Revanna. The SIT is working day and night to investigate the allegations of crimes against several women by Prajwal Revanna and getting him back to the country is of utmost importance so that he faces investigation and trial as per the existing law of the land.

Siddaramaiah urged PM Modi to move the Home Ministry to take swift action to cancel the diplomatic passport of Prajwal Revanna and appropriate action must be taken using diplomatic and police channels of the Government of India as well as international police agencies to ensure the swift return of the absconding member of parliament to face the existing law of the land.

Suspended JD(S) leader Prajwal Revanna, accused of sexually assaulting multiple women, broke his silence on Wednesday and said that truth will prevail soon. In his first response since the controversy erupted, Prajwal Revanna said on X that he is not in Bengaluru currently and has communicated the same to CID.

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Amit Shah says BJP will neither remove reservation for SCs, STs and OBC, nor will allow Congress to do so

The Home Minister alleged that the Congress’ formula was to speak lies loudly, publicly and repetitively. He advised Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge not to speak lies for a family as eventually he will have to take the blame for the party’s loss in the Lok Sabha elections

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Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday continued to attack Congress over reservation row. He was addressing a rally in Katghora town of Chhattisgarh’s Korba district to campaign for Saroj Pandey, BJP candidate from the Korba Lok Sabha seat where Shah said BJP will neither remove reservation for SCs, STs and OBCs, nor will it allow Congress to do so.

The Home Minister alleged that the Congress’ formula was to speak lies loudly, publicly and repetitively. He advised Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge not to speak lies for a family as eventually he will have to take the blame for the party’s loss in the Lok Sabha elections. Shah accused Congress of nurturing terrorism and Naxalism to win the Lok Sabha elections.

Shah further added that Congress claims if Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji gets majority for the third term, he will scrap reservation. He said the grand old party has even circulated his fake video. Shah said that have been in power for the last 10 years and PM Modi did not remove reservation, nor will he do it in the future.

The Union Home Minister further asserted Modi ji used the majority to scrap Article 370 and triple talaq, construction of Ram Mandir in Ayodhya and introduce the Citizenship Amendment Act. He further told the Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge that Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi do not belong to anyone. He said on June 4 Congress will suffer defeat and the brother-sister duo will remain safe, but Kharge ji will be blamed.

Shah further asserted if PM Modi becomes the prime minister for the 3rd straight term, then Naxalism will be uprooted in two years in Chhattisgarh.  Shah targeted the previous Bhupesh Baghel-led government in Chhattisgarh and said, The Bhupesh Kakka government encouraged Naxalism, but after the BJP came to power in the state under CM Vishnu Deo Sai and Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sharma 95 Naxalites have been eliminated in 4 months.

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