'India should persist with Sanju Samson' - Cheteshwar Pujara backs out-of-form opener amid calls for Vaibhav Sooryavanshi's debut

Cheteshwar Pujara has backed the out-of-form Sanju Samson to continue opening the batting alongside Abhishek Sharma despite failing to score big in the two T20Is against Ireland and Wednesday's series opener against England.

Across the first three games, Samson has registered scores of 5, 0, and 1. Many fans are demanding that Samson should make way for Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, who was in impeccable form this year in the IPL. However, Pujara said that Samson proved his credentials during the T20 World Cup, where he won the Player of the Series award, and deserves a long rope.

The former India batter admitted that Sooryavanshi does deserve a chance, but it should not come immediately at the expense of the top three, comprising Samson, Abhishek Sharma, and Ishan Kishan.

"I think India should persist with Sanju Samson. I don't think he should be feeling any pressure. He has proved himself in the T20 World Cup and, with the kind of talent he possesses, he should be there in the playing XI," Cheteshwar Pujara said while speaking on JioStar.

"There shouldn't be a lot of noise about dropping Sanju Samson. He is a quality player and should get a longer run. Sanju just needs to bat naturally and not think too much. If Vaibhav needs to play, he should play, but not at the expense of dropping someone, rather by resting someone. If you want to give him an opportunity, that is fine. But you shouldn't be dropping any of India's top three players, whether it's Sanju, Abhishek or Ishan Kishan. Having said that, Vaibhav does deserve an opportunity, and his opportunity will come," he added.

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While Samson has failed to deliver so far in the United Kingdom, Abhishek has been in exemplary form. Apart from the golden duck he registered in the second T20I against Ireland, the southpaw smashed 49 (20) in the first game and 59 (24) in England. Kishan, meanwhile, will have to up the ante, after scoring 1, 12, and 0 in the last three matches.