"When You Go To Australia...": Rohit Sharma Answers Query On Whether Sanju Samson Could Make It To T20 World Cup Squad

India captain Rohit Sharma on Wednesday responded to a query on batter Sanju Samson's chances of making it to India's squad for the T20 World Cup in Australia later this year. Addressing a virtual press conference on the eve of India's opening T20I against Sri Lanka in Lucknow, Rohit said that Samson's “shot-making ability” could be especially necessary in Australia. Samson, who plays for Kerala in the domestic circuit and Rajasthan Royals in the Indian Premier League (IPL), is returning to the Indian team for the first time since playing against Sri Lanka in last summer's bilateral series.

“That guy has got talent, man. Whenever I have seen him bat in IPL and all of that, he has just produced an innings where everyone goes over the moon watching it. So he has got the skill set to succeed. That is the whole point about the sport. A lot of people have skill set, lot of people have talent but how you utilise them is the most critical part,” Rohit told reporters.

“It's up to Sanju now to understand how he wants to utilise his talent and how he wants to maximise it. As a team management, we see a lot of potential, a lot of talent. We see a lot of match-winning abilities in that individual. I hope we give him that confidence when he gets playing for us, whenever he gets an opportunity, I hope he understands that,” he added.

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Rohit added that Samson is “definitely” being considered for the T20 World Cup later this year.

“He is definitely in consideration, which is why he is part of this team. His back-foot play is superb; some of the shots you must have seen during the IPL – the pick-up pull, the cut shots, standing and delivering over the bowler's head. Those kind of shots are not easy to play. I believe when you go