SL vs IND: Sanju Samson suffers ligament injury, doubtful for second ODI

There were a lot of speculations about India’s playing for the 1st ODI against Sri Lanka. With plenty to choose from, the Indian management had a stiff task of selecting the XI. Eventually, they went in with Ishan Kishan and Suryakumar Yadav in the middle order. However many felt that leaving out Sanju Samson was not a wise move.

Unfortunately, Samson not finding a place in the XI is a forced move as the Kerala batsman has suffered a ligament injury and was not fit enough to play in the first ODI. The news was confirmed by the BCCI who stated they are tracking the progress of Samson and a decision on his availability for future games will be taken soon.

“Sanju Samson sprained a ligament in his knee and was hence not available for selection for this game. The medical team is tracking his progress at the moment,” BCCI’s media team informed.

Meanwhile, it is a great occasion for the duo of Suryakumar Yadav and Ishan Kishan who are making their debut today. Both made their T20I debut against England earlier this year. With few slots available, it’s a great opportunity for both of them to make a case for themselves for India's T20 World Cup squad. There was also some talk about who between Yuzvendra Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav will be selected in the first ODI but the Indian management surprised many by including both spinners. Meanwhile, Sri Lanka too handed an ODI debut to Bhanuka Rajapaksa.