India’s captain, Suryakumar Yadav, has announced that Sanju Samson will be opening alongside the promising Abhishek Sharma in the upcoming T20I series against Bangladesh. This is a significant opportunity for Samson, who typically bats in the middle order and has not had a strong track record as an opener in T20 internationals.
Samson has opened for India in five T20Is. The last time he opened was against Sri Lanka, where he was dismissed for a golden duck.
Prior to that, he scored an impressive 77 off 42 deliveries against Ireland. His other three scores as an opener are 18 off 12 against Sri Lanka, and 2 off 5 and 8 off 5 against New Zealand.
Sanju Samson, a 29-year-old wicketkeeper-batsman, made his international debut in 2015. However, he has faced challenges in securing a permanent spot in the Indian lineup, frequently being in and out of the squad.
The current T20I series offers him a vital chance to establish himself as a regular fixture in the team, particularly in light of the recent transition period following the T20 World Cup, where veterans Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli have stepped back from the international stage.
The decision to open with Samson comes as both Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shubman Gill are being rested for this series. Jaiswal had an outstanding series against Bangladesh, finishing as the leading run-scorer with 189 runs, while Gill closely followed with 164 runs. This paves the way for Samson to seize this opportunity and prove his worth.
Samson has been patient and eager for his chance to shine in 2024. He was part of the squad that won the T20 World Cup, but did not play in any matches post the warm-up against Bangladesh. He enjoyed a stellar season with the Rajasthan Royals (RR) in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024, amassing 531 runs in 15 matches, averaging 48.27 and boasting an impressive strike rate of 153.47.
With head coach Gautam Gambhir focusing on experimentation and fresh talent in the squad, Samson has a unique opportunity to cement his place in India’s white-ball setup. His performance in this series could be pivotal for his future, and fans will be eager to see if he can deliver consistency and capitalize on this long-awaited opportunity.
