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Former Indian cricketer and current chief selector Ajit Agarkar has elucidated the rationale behind preferring Sanju Samson over KL Rahul for Team India’s squad in the forthcoming ICC T20 World Cup 2024. Agarkar, addressing the media, shed light on the selection process and emphasized the team’s need for strong middle-order batters.
Prioritizing middle-order stability
Agarkar acknowledged Rahul’s stellar performance as an opener in the Indian Premier League (IPL). However, he underscored the selection committee’s focus on bolstering the middle-order batting lineup for the T20 World Cup campaign.
“KL Rahul has been opening in the IPL. We were mainly looking for middle-order options,” Agarkar stated during the press conference.
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Versatility and strategic choice
Highlighting Samson’s versatility as a key determinant, Agarkar justified his selection over Rahul. He reiterated that the decision wasn’t a critique of Rahul’s abilities but rather a strategic choice aligned with the team’s current requirements.
“So, we felt that Samson and Pant are better suited for that. Samson can bat anywhere in the lineup. So, it was just about what we needed and not about who was better,” Agarkar concluded.
Agarkar spills beans on Virat Kohli’s strike-rate
In a light-hearted moment during the presser, Agarkar injected humor into the discourse by addressing the much-debated topic of Virat Kohli’s strike rate. When questioned about Kohli’s strike rate, Agarkar responded with a grin, “There hasn’t been any talk with the Strike Rate of Kohli (big smiles) – he has been doing so well in IPL.”
