India’s wicketkeeper-batter, Sanju Samson, is once again aiming to secure a permanent position in the Indian cricket team. Having made his international debut in 2015, Samson is now in the spotlight following the retirements of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma from T20I cricket. Under the guidance of head coach Gautam Gambhir and T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav, Samson has been given the chance to open the innings in the IND vs BAN 1st T20I. This new role is part of the team’s experiment to find the right balance. After winning the first T20I comfortably, India will play the second T20I on Wednesday in Delhi.
Modest start in Gwalior
In the first T20I at the New Madhavrao Scindia Cricket Stadium in Gwalior, Samson opened alongside Abhishek Sharma. He showcased his skill and timing but managed to score only 29 runs off 19 balls before getting dismissed early. Despite his elegant shot-making, his impact was limited.
Aakash Chopra on Samson’s Consistency
Former Indian opener Aakash Chopra, while analysing Samson’s performance, said, “He is good. He scored 29 runs. My only thing was that since he had reached here, he should go slightly further ahead. He should score a few more runs because, otherwise, they would drop him. He keeps moving in and out (of the side), and up and down (the batting order).”
Chopra praised Samson’s grace, saying, “You need to talk about Sanju Samson. Abhishek Sharma was playing amazingly well until he got run out, but how well did Sanju play? Gautam Gambhir said long back that if Sanju Samson doesn’t play for India, it’s India’s loss. He was made to open. The silken touch was seen. He wasn’t hitting the ball hard; it seemed like he didn’t want to hurt the ball, and he was hitting one four after another.”
The 29-year-old’s performance in the remaining matches of the series will be important for his future with the Indian T20I team, as his ability to contribute consistently remains under scrutiny.
