Sanju Samson, the talented Indian cricketer, recently had a chance to showcase his skills in the first T20I against Bangladesh. Opening the innings alongside Abhishek Sharma, Samson played a fluent innings, scoring 29 runs off just 19 balls. While this was a decent contribution to the team’s chase of 128 runs, former cricketer Aakash Chopra expressed his disappointment with Samson’s performance.
Gautam Gambhir, the new Team India head coach, has always been a vocal supporter of Samson and has emphasized his importance to Indian cricket. Gambhir’s belief in Samson’s abilities likely played a role in the decision to have him open the innings in the T20I. However, Chopra believes that Samson needs to do more to cement his place in the team. He highlighted the need for Samson to convert his starts into bigger scores to avoid being dropped from the side.
Chopra’s comments reflect the inconsistency that has plagued Samson’s career so far. Despite showing glimpses of his talent, Samson has struggled to establish himself as a regular in the Indian team. Playing at various positions in T20Is, Samson’s best performances have often come when he has batted at the top of the order. With senior players like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli no longer part of the T20I setup, the onus is on Samson to grab the opportunities presented to him and make a strong case for a permanent spot in the team.
The match against Bangladesh served as another reminder of Samson’s potential, but also highlighted the need for him to be more consistent and impactful with his performances. As he continues to juggle between being in and out of the side, Samson must focus on making significant contributions whenever he gets the chance to bat. With the competition for places in the Indian team heating up, Samson will need to step up and deliver consistently to fulfill his potential and secure his spot in the playing XI.