In a passionate critique, former India cricketer Kris Srikkanth has come to the fiery defense of Sanju Samson, arguing that the talented wicketkeeper-batter has been unfairly treated despite consistently proving his worth at the top of the order in T20 internationals.
Srikkanth, known for his candid opinions, expressed deep frustration over the persistent shuffling of Samson’s batting position. He believes this inconsistent approach has severely hampered the Kerala cricketer’s rhythm and undermined his confidence.
“The guy who’s most unlucky is Sanju Samson,” Srikkanth declared on his YouTube channel. “He was scoring centuries as an opener. But now they send him everywhere — from No. 3 to No. 8. If given an opportunity, they may send him at No. 11 also! A person like Sanju will naturally feel bad after doing so well at the top, but he has no option but to be tight-lipped and bat wherever the team asks him to.”
Indeed, since India’s impressive 2024 T20 World Cup victory, Samson has emerged as one of the team’s most explosive openers. He has smashed three centuries and maintained an impressive average of 37 with a blistering strike rate of 183 across just 13 innings. His dynamic partnership with Abhishek Sharma at the top of the order was a cornerstone of India’s aggressive new T20 strategy.
However, the return of Shubman Gill to the T20I setup during the Asia Cup led to Samson being pushed down the order. He found himself batting at No. 5 three times, once at No. 3, and even remarkably, didn’t get a chance to bat until No. 8 against Bangladesh. Despite these constant changes, Samson played a vital role in the Asia Cup final, contributing a crucial 21-ball 24 in India’s nail-biting, last-over victory against Pakistan.
While critical of Samson’s handling, Srikkanth remains optimistic about the future. “The only good thing is he did well at No. 5 in the Asia Cup. It’s a positive sign because Sanju is now the automatic choice as the first wicketkeeper for the T20 World Cup,” he affirmed.
Looking ahead, the former India opener predicted that the playing XI from the opening T20I against Australia in Canberra closely resembles the World Cup squad, with Hardik Pandya being the only expected change, replacing Harshit Rana.
“The team is almost set,” Srikkanth concluded. “Now it’s just about getting match practice and building rhythm before the World Cup.”