As the Indian Cricket Team gears up for the IND vs BAN 1st T20I, the team faces a lack of traditional openers, with Abhishek Sharma being the only one on the roster. This opens up a great opportunity for Sanju Samson to step into the role of an opener, filling the gap left by other players.
Ruturaj Gaikwad’s participation in the Irani Cup has led to his absence from the squad, while Test players like Shubman Gill and Yashasvi Jaiswal are being rested ahead of the IND vs NZ Test series. With a focus on strengthening the middle order, the selectors have not included more traditional openers. This has positioned Samson as the best option to accompany Abhishek Sharma at the top of the batting lineup.
Sanju Samson’s flexibility to bat from the top to middle order has been evident in his IPL 2024 performance, where he shined at number 3. As an opener in T20Is for India, Samson has excelled, with a strike rate of 161.54 and his highest score of 77. Samson’s performance as an opener is notable in comparison to his stats down the order, making him a strong candidate for the position alongside Sharma.
Sanju Samson’s T20I Performance by Batting Position
| Batting Position | Inns | 50s | HS | Runs | Avg | S/R |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Opening | 5 | 1 | 77 | 105 | 21 | 161.54 |
| 3 | 3 | 0 | 27 | 33 | 11 | 126.92 |
| 4 | 11 | 1 | 58 | 213 | 21.3 | 129.88 |
| 5 | 5 | 0 | 30* | 62 | 20.67 | 131.91 |
| 6 | 1 | 0 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 100 |
| 7 | 1 | 0 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 79.17 |
| Overall | 26 | 2 | 77 | 444 | 19.3 | 131.36 |
Despite back-to-back ducks in recent appearances, the 3-match T20I series against Bangladesh offers Samson an excellent opportunity to showcase his potential and cement his place as a key opener in the Indian squad.
India Squad for IND vs BAN T20Is
- Suryakumar Yadav (C), Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson (wk), Rinku Singh, Hardik Pandya, Riyan Parag, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Shivam Dube, Washington Sundar, Ravi Bishnoi, Varun Chakaravarthy, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Arshdeep Singh, Harshit Rana, Mayank Yadav.