Christchurch, November 30: Sanju Samson could not find a place in India playing 11 against New Zealand on Wednesday (November 30) for the 3rd ODI here at the Hagley Oval.
It was enough for netizens to start a campaign, #JusticeForSanjuSamson and troll the management decision to keep giving a place in the Playing 11 for Rishabh Pant in the place of Kerala wicketkeeper batsman.
Rishabh Pant could not anything special with the bat either as he got out for a 16-ball 10, further fuelling the imaginations of the meme nation members and troll gangs on line.
Exactly @BCCI #JusticeForSanjuSamson pic.twitter.com/X8mNWgbHTz
— snow (@srikuttanmural2) November 29, 2022
This is horrible team selection! How can you keep someone like Sanju Samson out of the game for long??#SanjuSamson #wewantsanju #WeWantSanju #JusticeForSanjuSamson pic.twitter.com/wSuxis7aF9
— Tycoon World (@TheTycoonWorld) November 30, 2022
Former India batter and selector K Srikkanth too came down heavily on Pant for continuously missing out on the chances given to him by the India management.
In ODIs, the 25-year-old Pant had two fifties and a hundred in the 9 innings he has played in 2022, perhaps a reason behind him getting picked ahead of Sanju yet again.
"Maybe you can give him (Pant) a break and tell him 'just wait a bit, come and play in India', they haven't handled him well. Are you going to wait for a couple of matches before giving him a break or remove him after one or two games?" Srikkanth said on his YouTube channel, Cheeky Cheeka.
“Yes, Rishabh Pant is not utilising the chances he's getting. I am very disappointed - ennada Pant-u (what is this Pant)?,” he said.
Justice for Sanju Samson 💔
— Sachin Patidar (@SGP88900) November 22, 2022
Life of Sanju Samson struggle
Hit the like button and retweet #SanjuSamson pic.twitter.com/CB113DB0Mc
“Mera white ball record kharab nahi hai”, and Rishabh Pant gets out for 10. Actions speak louder than words. He #justiceforsanjusamson #INDvNZ #RishabhPant pic.twitter.com/fyPKnC7NfA
— j̶a̶i̶s̶h̶ ( जैश) (@Jaishthebest) November 30, 2022
Pant was dismissed for 15 runs in the first ODI at Auckland while he did not get chance to bat in the rain-hit second ODI.
"You are messing up these chances. If you smash into such matches, it'll be good right? The World Cup is coming up. Already a lot of people are saying that Pant isn't scoring so it'll add fuel to the fire,” Srikkanth, a former India captain, said.
“He's going to put pressure on himself. He needs to reinvent himself. He has to do something right - stand and play for a while and then go for it... He's throwing his wicket away all the time,” he added.
The management wanted a sixth bowler as well, hence preferred Deepak Hooda to Sanju for the second and third ODIs against New Zealand.