Sanju Samson made a strong statement with a terrific half-century against Afghanistan in the second T20I, answering questions over his place in India’s playing XI. Samson has been in and out of the side in recent times despite playing a key role in India’s T20 World Cup triumph. The wicketkeeper-batter smashed 57 off just 22 balls, hitting seven fours and four sixes, to remind everyone of what he can do when given a chance. With Vaibhav Sooryavanshi waiting in the wings, Samson needed a performance like this to keep himself in the mix. He was not picked for the T20I series against Zimbabwe, where Sooryavanshi was named Player of the Series, making his latest knock even more significant.
Batting great Sunil Gavaskar praised Samson for the way he built his innings against Afghanistan, pointing out that the batter did not rush his shots early on and took his time before going after the bowlers. The former India captain feels that kind of approach, along with the number of opportunities openers get in T20 cricket, can help Samson score consistently.
“It’s sometimes the consistency that you want and because the openers get most of the strike in a 20-over game, they have the most opportunities to score. Sometimes, like today, he played himself in and he started hammering the balls only later. If he keeps on doing that, I don’t think he’ll ever fail. He’ll keep on getting 50s and 60s every time,” Gavaskar told the broadcasters.
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Since the 2026 T20 World Cup final, Samson had managed just 100 runs in six matches at an average of 16.66 before Tuesday’s game against Afghanistan. His 57 off 22 balls in the second T20I accounted for more than half of those runs, giving him a much-needed boost after a lean run.
Gavaskar’s advice to Samson
Gavaskar also pointed out that Samson’s tendency to go after the bowling from the very first ball can sometimes work against him, especially when there is no need to force the pace early in the innings. The former India captain believes Samson has the game to score heavily if he gives himself some time at the crease.
“It’s only when he looks to try and go bang-bang from the first ball, and then you have to do that if you’re chasing 190 or 200, then there is no option of doing that. But he’s a terrific player,” said Gavaskar.