IND vs SL: Jitesh Sharma joins as cover for injured Samson for remaining T20Is

Punjab Kings wicketkeeper Jitesh Sharma, who impressed with his performances in the IPL 2022, has joined the Indian T20I squad for the remaining two T20Is against Sri Lanka as cover for the injured Sanju Samson.

The BCCI confirmed that Samson will miss the remaining T20Is after picking up a knee injury during the T20I series opener against Sri Lanka in Mumbai on Tuesday, January 3. Samson has not traveled with the rest of the team to Pune, which will host the 2nd T20I on Thursday, January 5.

Sanju Samson has swelling in his knee and has stayed back in Mumbai for assessment. Samson picked up a niggle on his knee after it got stuck into the ground while he was fielding in the third-man region. 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.

In the 13th over of Sri Lanka's chase of 163, Sanju dived along the boundary to stop a Dasun Shanka shot from going to the boundary. As he got his hands to the ball, Samson's knee got stuck in the wet ground and it took a good chunk of grass out. The ball went to the boundary even



as bowler Umran Malik wore a disappointed look.

Samson was in discomfort but the wicketkeeper-batter carried on as India went on to win a last-ball thriller by 2 runs, successfully defending a 161-run target.

In Samson's absence, India might look to give Rahul Tripathi his T20I debut. The SunRisers Hyderabad star has been warming the benches and will be raring to go if he gets an opportunity.

Samson could not trouble the scorers much with the bat as he got out for 5 after coming into bat at No. 4. India managed to post 162, thanks to late-order heroics from Deepak Hooda and Axar Patel.

India will look to take an unbeatable 2-0 lead when they face Sri Lanka in the 2nd T20I on Thursday. The series finale will be played in Rajkot on Saturday.

India’s updated squad for Sri Lanka T20Is: Hardik Pandya (Captain), Ishan Kishan (wk), Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shubman Gill, Suryakumar Yadav (VC), Deepak Hooda, Rahul Tripathi, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Washington Sundar, Yuzvendra Chahal, Axar Patel, Arshdeep Singh, Harshal Patel, Umran Malik, Shivam Mavi, Mukesh Kumar.