NEW DELHI: The elegant fifties scored by
Sanju Samson
and
KL Rahul
in the IPL have ignited a fierce competition for the second wicketkeeper slot in the Indian team for the upcoming T20 World Cup, according to former South African captain
Graeme Smith
.
With the Indian squad for the marquee event on the horizon,
Rishabh Pant
is expected to secure the first-choice wicketkeeper-batter position.
However, Smith believes that the stellar performances of Samson and Rahul have made the race for the backup slot even more intense.
"They needed to build a partnership. Rahul did it with (Deepak) Hooda and Sanju did it beautifully with
Dhruv Jurel
. The difference was that Sanju finished the game, while KL got out at a key phase. But it was brilliant to see both excellent players put their hands up for World Cup selection," remarked Smith on JioCinema.
While Rahul showcased his prowess with a commendable 48-ball 76 for Lucknow Super Giants, Samson outshone him with an unbeaten 71 off just 33 balls, guiding Rajasthan Royals to a comfortable seven-wicket victory.
Former Australian pacer
Brett Lee
commended Jurel for his invaluable support to Samson, contributing a fine 52 not out off 34 balls during their unbroken fourth-wicket stand worth 121 runs.
"He's a quality batter. He's got proper cricket shots. He can play all formats of the game and knows when to go through the gears as needed. His shots are classy and have the power to go towards the cow corner. He shows his class and continues to grow in stature," praised Lee.
Smith echoed Lee's sentiments, highlighting the significance of Samson and Jurel's partnership in the successful run chase.
"The run-chase looked easy. Dhruv Jurel and Sanju Samson had an incredible partnership to get them over the line. They had (Shimron) Hetmyer still to bat, so there was a lot in the tank, lots of match-winners with the bat and ball. That squad is looking very strong," concluded Smith.
(With inputs from PTI)
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