"Mujhe yakeen nahi aa raha meri selection hogayi hai" - Fans react to Sanju Samson's call-up for South Africa ODIs

Sanju Samson's much-awaited return to India's white-ball set-up drew mixed reactions from cricket fans on social media. The Rajasthan Royals skipper was selected for India's three-match ODI series in South Africa but didn't get a call-up for the three T20Is preceding that.

While some celebrated his selection, others saw a bit of irony in it: he got called up to the ODI team immediately after missing out on the men's 2023 ODI World Cup, and at a time when India is preparing for the men's T20 World Cup in 2024.

Similarly, in the lead-up to the 2023 World Cup, he was part of India's T20I teams for a couple of rubbers but was ignored for the ODI Asia Cup, as Tilak Varma and Ishan Kishan received call-ups. One fan stated via a meme:

"Sanju Samson right now: Mujhe yakeen nahi aa raha meri selection hogayi hai (I can't believe I have been selected)"

Check the best reactions on the same below:

India’s squad for 3 ODIs:

Ruturaj Gaikwad, Sai Sudharsan, Tilak Varma, Rajat Patidar, Rinku Singh, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (C)(wk), Sanju Samson (wk), Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Mukesh Kumar, Avesh Khan, Arshdeep Singh, Deepak Chahar

"He opens or plays at No. 3 in the IPL" - Aakash Chopra on Sanju Samson's non-selection for Australia T20Is

Samson was also excluded from India's squad for the ongoing T20I series against Australia, causing a big furor on social media. Cricketer-turned-pundit Aakash Chopra at the time had remarked that including Jitesh Sharma over the Kerala-born was a "huge statement" from the selectors based on IPL merit.

"His lifesize poster will be made but he won't be there. The entire stadium will sing - 'We miss you Sanju Samson'. I have started feeling that they are not thinking about him because he opens or plays at No. 3 in the IPL and they don't have a place for him there," he said.

India and South Africa will play the first T20I on December 10 in Kingsmead.