Sanju Samson struck a blistering 48-ball 91 as India A romped to a 36-run win over South Africa A in the fifth and final unofficial ODI, helping the hosts claim the series 4-1 in Thiruvananthapuram on Friday.
Kerala wicketkeeper-batsman Samson, who has played one T20 International for India, showcased his skills in another rain-affected game at the Sports Hub here.
And Indian spinner Harbhajan Singh seems to have been impressed with Samson's outing with India A. Taking to Twitter, Harbhajan suggested Team India to try Samson for the number 4 spot.
"Why not @IamSanjuSamson at number 4 in odi.. with good technique and good head on his shoulders.. well played today anyways against SA A," Harbhajan wrote.
Team India's problems with the number 4 spot have persisted for a long time, and came to haunt the side during the fifty-over World Cup this year. The side tried numerous players in the spot, namely Ambati Rayudu, Vijay Shankar, KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant, but failed to proceed with a stable number 4 option in the tournament.
In the recently-concluded ODI series against West Indies, the side persisted with Rishabh Pant as the number 4 option. However, Pant's shot-selection has failed to inspire confidence so far. Shreyas Iyer, who followed Pant at number 5, performed consistently in the series and is touted by many to replace the wicketkeeper-batsman for the fourth position in the batting order.
Former Indian all-rounder Yuvraj Singh, who batted at number 4 for a significant part of his career, had a cheeky reply to Harbhajan Singh's suggestion.
He wrote, "Top order is very strong bro they don’t need no 4 batsman (laughing face)."
It's hard to guess what Yuvraj had implied with the reply. It could be a reference to his playing days, or a jibe to the current team management.
Team India will return to action on September 15 when the side takes on South Africa in the T20I series.
