"That is still missing" - Saba Karim says he wants Sanju Samson to be as consistent as Yashasvi Jaiswal and Tilak Varma

Saba Karim has highlighted that Sanju Samson's lack of consistency has put him behind the likes of Suryakumar Yadav in the pecking order of India's middle-order batters in ODI cricket.

Karim recently chose his preferred Indian squad for the ODI World Cup 2023. While naming Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul as the No. 4 and No. 5 batters, subject to their fitness, and Suryakumar as the reserve middle-order batter, the former Indian wicketkeeper-batter didn't pick Samson in the squad.

During an interaction with News24 Sports, Karim was asked whether Samson should be played in the ODIs and T20Is against the West Indies. While replying in the positive, the former Indian selector pointed out that the Rajasthan Royals skipper lacked the consistency shown by the likes of Yashasvi Jaiswal and Tilak Varma in IPL 2023:

"Since you don't have players currently, I want Sanju Samson to be in the XI, he should play and perform regularly so that he challenges the players currently in the team. Sanju Samson, unfortunately, is unable to do that."

Karim added:

"If you see in the IPL as well, he performed well sporadically. I want to see the same regularity in Sanju Samson's batting that Yashasvi Jaiswal and Tilak Varma have shown this year. That is still missing."

The cricketer-turned-analyst highlighted that inconsistent performances have cost Samson a regular place in the national side:

"I have a lot of expectations from Samson because he has the skill but unfortunately the consistency that should be there is missing at times and because of that only I feel he has not secured his place in the Indian team."

Samson has amassed 330 runs at an outstanding average of 66.00 in 11 ODIs. However, he has been found wanting in T20I cricket, aggregating 301 runs at an underwhelming average of 20.06 in 17 games.

---

"It's a testing platform in a way" - Saba Karim on the West Indies tour defining Sanju Samson and Suryakumar Yadav's future selections

Suryakumar Yadav (L) and Sanju Samson might be India's No. 4 and No. 5 in the ODI series against West Indies.

Saba Karim was further asked who he would pick for the Asia Cup if Sanju Samson is among the runs in the three ODIs against the West Indies and Suryakumar Yadav doesn't have a good series, to which he responded:

"Good challenge then - whoever does well. If you are giving so many chances to both, it's a testing platform in a way. It is international cricket, the conditions in the West Indies are slightly difficult, the ball gets stuck on the pitch. Whoever between the two players does well there, he will be ahead in the pecking order."

Karim concluded by stating that the selectors wouldn't have finalized the World Cup squad already. He added that a couple of the spots are extremely fluid and a change can be made there.