India vs Sri Lanka: Sanju Samson ruled out of 2nd T20I, Jitesh Sharma replaces him

Sanju Samson copped a blow to his knee while fielding during the first T20I and was subsequently taken for scans. He was advised rest and rehabilitation by a specialist. Has hence been ruled out of the next two matches of the T20I series.

The All-India Senior Selection Committee on Wednesday named Jitesh Sharma as replacement for injured Sanju Samson. For the remainder of the three-match T20I series against Sri Lanka.
Samson hurt his left knee while attempting to field a ball near the boundary ropes during Tuesday’s first T20I at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. “He was taken for scans and a specialist opinion this afternoon in Mumbai by the BCCI Medical Team and has been advised rest and rehabilitation,” BCCI said in the statement.

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“The All-India Senior Selection Committee has named Jitesh Sharma as a replacement for Sanju Samson,” it further read. India will play the second T20I against Sri Lanka in Pune on January 5. India has a 1-0 lead in the three-match series. Coming to the first game, debutant Shivam Mavi’s four-wicket haul and Axar Patel’s action-packed last over guided India to a 2-run win over Sri Lanka in the first T20I of the three-match series here at the Wankhede Stadium on Tuesday.

Mavi was the star for India on his international debut, taking 4/22. Umran Malik (2/27) and Harshal Patel (2/41) also delivered timely breakthroughs to India. Samson was fielding near the ropes when he tried to dive and stop a boundary but had his left knee stuck in the soil. The wicketkeeper batter reportedly did not travel with the squad to Pune and remained in Mumbai for the scans.