AB de Villiers Weighs in on ODI Squad Selection

AB de Villiers thinks Sanju Samson was close to returning to the ODI format for the England series.

What happened?

Samson finished the T20 World Cup 2026 with three back-to-back half-centuries and scored two centuries in the Indian Premier League 2026.

Why it matters for AB de Villiers

De Villiers opined that the call to omit Rishabh Pant was obvious, but he felt Samson was closer to selection due to his good form.

What comes next?

Virat Kohli will be available for the series after obtaining the necessary fitness clearance, while Hardik Pandya was ruled out due to injury.

The India ODI squad for the England tour includes Shubman Gill, Rohit Sharma, and KL Rahul. De Villiers mentioned the omission of Yashasvi Jaiswal, who scored a century in his previous game against Afghanistan.

On his YouTube channel, De Villiers stated that Samson must have been close to selection, given his impressive IPL performance. The BCCI announced the ODI squad, with Kohli's availability pending fitness clearance.

The series will see the return of Kohli, who sustained a hamstring injury during the IPL 2026 final in Ahmedabad. De Villiers felt that the omission of Jaiswal was a bit harsh, considering his recent form.

The India ODI squad will face England in the upcoming series, with De Villiers providing his insights on the team selection. Samson's form in the IPL 2026 was notable, scoring 477 runs at an average of 43.36.

De Villiers' comments provide valuable insight into the ODI squad selection, highlighting the competition for spots. The England series will be an important test for the Indian team, with De Villiers' thoughts on the squad selection adding to the discussion.

The BCCI's announcement of the ODI squad has sparked interest, with De Villiers' comments on Samson's omission generating debate. The upcoming series will see the Indian team face a tough challenge, with De Villiers' thoughts on the squad selection providing context.