Alright! A lot has been said about the recent form of Sanju Samson, and to be fair, why not? The Indian batter has been the talk of the town in T20 cricket, becoming the first to smash hundreds in consecutive innings and now holding three T20I centuries in total. That kind of achievement naturally grabs headlines. But what continues to shadow his brilliance is one persistent issue — inconsistency.
In the last series India played before the World Cup, against New Zealand, Samson struggled significantly, managing only around 40 runs across four innings. That lean patch did not go unnoticed and may well have influenced team management decisions. He was left out of the match against the USA, where Ishan Kishan and Abhishek Sharma opened the innings. Although Samson later featured against Namibia and struck a few clean sixes, he once again failed to convert his start into a substantial score.
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Now, with India gearing up for a high-voltage clash against Pakistan, the selection dilemma intensifies. There are fitness concerns around Abhishek, but even if he recovers, the decision will not be straightforward. Does Ishan make way despite scoring in the previous game, or does Samson continue to wait?
At this stage, it appears slightly difficult for Samson to break into the XI against Pakistan. Despite possessing ‘talent’, he may once again have to settle for a spot on the bench.
Sanju Samson – Last 15 T20I innings (World Cup innings not included)
| Match | Runs (Balls) |
|---|---|
| 1 | 26 (20) |
| 2 | 5 (7) |
| 3 | 3 (6) |
| 4 | 1 (3) |
| 5 | 16 (7) |
| 6 | 56 (45) |
| 7 | 13 (17) |
| 8 | 39 (23) |
| 9 | 24 (21) |
| 10 | 2 (4) |
| 11 | 37 (22) |
| 12 | 10 (7) |
| 13 | 6 (5) |
| 14 | 0 (1) |
| 15 | 24 (15) |
Overall statistics (last 15 T20Is)
- Runs: 262
- Average: 17.46
But what exactly is the problem with Sanju Samson? Before we jump to conclusions, let’s take a look at what experts have said about him recently, with the T20 World Cup now underway.
Sourav Ganguly: “Sanju is a very good player and deserves consistent opportunities. No player can perform under constant pressure where two failures mean being dropped. He should be given a longer run to maintain his form.”
Sunil Gavaskar: “Sanju Samson has a technical problem. He goes too deep into the crease while playing the flick shot. When opening against the new ball, he needs to spend more time at the crease and tighten his technique.”
Irfan Pathan: “I would like to see Sanju Samson getting a proper run in the batting order. What happened earlier was unfair to him, and he needs consistent chances to find his rhythm.”
Krishnamachari Srikkanth: “Samson has been given opportunities but hasn’t delivered consistently. At some stage, the team management may need to think differently if results don’t come.”
Aakash Chopra: “There is a slight technical issue. Samson often seems to pre-decide whether to go forward or back before the ball is bowled, and that can create problems against quality bowling.”
Technical concerns around Sanju Samson
With the World Cup already underway, the spotlight has once again shifted to Samson’s technical approach at the crease. While his natural stroke-play allows him to dominate attacks when in rhythm, analysts believe certain technical aspects are contributing to his inconsistent returns. His aggressive setup gives him scoring freedom, but it also creates vulnerabilities that quality pace attacks have been able to exploit in recent matches.
Technical concerns
- Pronounced trigger movement that creates extra room outside the off stump
- Tendency to get cramped by incoming deliveries from pace bowlers
- Increased risk of edging deliveries while attempting attacking strokes
- Difficulty in converting promising starts into substantial scores
- Lack of consistent adjustment when bowlers target the same areas repeatedly
Will Sanju Samson play against Pakistan in the T20 World Cup 2026?
The chances now appear slim for Sanju Samson, and he could be out of the playing XI — not entirely because of his own performances. As mentioned earlier, Abhishek Sharma is recovering well after missing the Namibia match due to a stomach infection. Reports indicate he is progressing positively and is expected to regain full fitness ahead of the high-voltage clash against Pakistan. If Sharma is declared fit, he is likely to return straight to the XI, which could see Samson making way after featuring in the previous game.
