Sanju Samson is once again facing pressure to secure his spot in the Indian T20I team. The wicketkeeper-batter has been given an opportunity to prove himself following the retirements of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma from T20I cricket. Under the guidance of head coach Gautam Gambhir and captain Suryakumar Yadav, Samson opened the innings in the first T20I against Bangladesh. Despite India’s comfortable victory in Gwalior, Samson’s personal performance left room for improvement as the second T20I approaches in Delhi on Wednesday.
Modest Start in Gwalior
In the first T20I at Gwalior’s New Madhavrao Scindia Cricket Stadium, Samson opened alongside Abhishek Sharma. He showed flashes of his elegant shot-making but managed only 29 runs from 19 balls before being dismissed. Though he played with finesse, his brief innings didn’t make a significant impact.
Aakash Chopra on Samson’s Consistency
Former Indian opener Aakash Chopra weighed in on Samson’s performance, saying, “He is good. He scored 29 runs. My only thing was that he should have gone a little further. He needs to score more because, otherwise, they might drop him. He keeps moving in and out of the side, and up and down the order.”
Chopra praised Samson’s grace, adding, “Sanju Samson played beautifully. Gautam Gambhir said long ago that if Samson doesn’t play for India, it’s India’s loss. He was made to open, and his touch was silky. He wasn’t hitting the ball hard but was stroking one four after another.”
Samson’s future with the Indian T20I team may hinge on his performance in the remaining matches of the series, as his consistency remains under scrutiny.