By: Sports DeskUpdated: October 5, 2025 09:29 AM IST 3 min readAgarkar told reporters in Ahmedabad on Satuday that it was a decision of batting positions that went against Sanju Samson's ODI selection. (BCCI)Former India chairman of selectors Kris Srikkanth has slammed the decision to overlook Sanju Samson as the back-up wicket-keeper in the 15-member ODI squad picked for the tour to Australia, starting October 19.With Rishabh Pant out injured, Samson was in contention as cover for lead wicket-keeper KL Rahul. However, the selection committee headed by Ajit Agarkar snubbed the Kerala batter and instead roped in Dhruv Jurel, handing him his maiden ODI call-up for the three-match series that begins in Perth in a fortnight.Interestingly, Samson had recorded a century in his last ODI outing in a series decider in South Africa in late 2023 before being omitted from subsequent series.‘Deserved first right of refusal’Lamenting the decision to omit Samson, Srikkanth said the 30-year-old deserved the first opportunity given he was ahead in the pecking order.ALSO READ | Ajit Agarkar on Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma’s future in ODIs, Ravindra Jadeja’s exclusion and more; full transcript of press conference“Again very unfair. Sanju should have been there, considering he scored a century in his last ODI. So everyday the reason keeps changing for each individual. One day you make him bat at 5, then another day you make him open. Sometimes you send him at 7 or 8. How did Dhruv Jurel suddenly come in? Sanju may or may not feature in the 11 but he has to be given the first right of refusal,” said Srikkanth.Speaking on the decision to omit Samson, Agarkar told reporters in Ahmedabad on Satuday that it was a decision of batting positions that tilted the case in Jurel’s favour.Story continues below this ad“It’s more (due to) position (that he’s not in the squad). I mean, Sanju Samson bats at the top of the order. I think when he got a hundred, I think he batted number three, if I’m not wrong. Jurel usually bats low down the order. KL bats there as well. You’ve seen how good a player Dhruv is. So again, you’re looking at spots. I don’t think there’s room at the top again. So we’re looking at guys who can fit in those spots.“And obviously, Sanju at the moment in T20 cricket is batting there and we’re trying him there. But in one-day cricket, it’s a little bit different. So that’s basically the thought. It’s more the position than anything else,” remarked Agarkar.Samson’s ODI recordContrary to Agarkar’s comments, Samson has lately featured in the middle-order in T20Is during the Asia Cup, juggling between slots from three to as low as No. 8 during the victorious campaign in the United Arab Emirates. Holding a 56.66 average in 16 ODIs, Samson has predominantly batted lower down the order, scoring 347 runs in 11 innings between No. 4-6, averaging 57.83 with three half-centuries.Stay updated with the latest sports news across Cricket, Football, Chess, and more. Catch all the action with real-time live cricket score updates and in-depth coverage of ongoing matches.© IE Online Media Services Pvt LtdTags:Ajit AgarkarSanju Samson