IND vs SA Playing XI: Will Sanju Samson get a chance, or will Jitesh play?

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IND vs SA Playing XI: Will Sanju Samson get a chance, or will Jitesh play?: The Indian team is using the five-match T20 series against South Africa to work on their team combination for next year's T20 World Cup. The selection strategy is becoming a major headache for India, especially since Shubman Gill's return, which has made it difficult for Sanju Samson to find a place in the playing XI. In the first T20, India gave Jitesh Sharma a chance instead of Samson, and Samson's inclusion in the playing XI for the second T20 is also unlikely.

Is Jitesh Sharma the first-choice wicketkeeper?

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While including Jitesh Sharma in the playing XI for the last three T20 matches played in Australia might have seemed like an experiment, prioritizing him over the experienced wicketkeeper-batsman Sanju Samson in the first match of the series against South Africa clearly indicates the team management's thinking ahead of next year's World Cup.

The think tank cannot be blamed for preferring a specialist finisher in the lower order over Samson. Samson was moved down the batting order after Gill's return, through no fault of his own. Since then, he has been struggling to find a place in the playing XI.

Who will play in the second T20I match between Samson and Jitesh?

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Jitesh considers his role as a finisher in the team his bread and butter. If he doesn't perform poorly in the series against South Africa and then against New Zealand, it is certain that he will play the role of wicketkeeper-batsman in the initial matches of the T20 World Cup. At this time, it is difficult to consider anyone other than Samson and Jitesh as wicketkeeper options in the team. Cricket experts also believe that if Samson doesn't get a chance to bat in the top order, then it would be right to keep Jitesh, who bats lower down the order, in the team.

Also Read: Sanju Samson vs Shubman Gill: Who Deserves the Spot?, The T20I Opening Debate

India (IND) Possible Playing 11 for 2nd T20 against SA

1. Abhishek Sharma
2. Shubman Gill
3. Suryakumar Yadav(C)
4. Tilak Varma
5. Axar Patel
6. Hardik Pandya
7. Shivam Dube
8. Jitesh Sharma(WK)
9. Varun Chakravarthy
10. Arshdeep Singh
11. Jasprit Bumrah

Also Read: IND vs SA 2nd T20I Pitch Report, Mullanpur Cricket Stadium stats and records

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