Sanju Samson Backed for Stable Role in T20 WC
Former Indian skipper Kris Srikkanth believes Sanju Samson has suffered from constant changes in his batting position despite performing well as an opener. Samson, who once flourished at the top, now bats in the middle order while Shubman Gill and Abhishek Sharma open for India.
During the Asia Cup 2025, Samson batted at No. 5 three times and once at No. 3, while against Bangladesh, he came in only at No. 8. Srikkanth pointed out that such inconsistency can frustrate any player, but Samson continues to stay composed and cooperative.
“The guy who’s most unlucky is Sanju Samson. He was scoring centuries as an opener. But now they send him everywhere from 3 to 8. If given an opportunity, they may send him at 11 also. So a person like Sanju also will feel bad, having done so well at the top. But he has no option but to be tight-lipped and bat wherever the team asks him to,” Srikkanth said on YouTube.
Despite these changes, Srikkanth appreciated Samson’s adaptability and strong showing in recent tournaments.
“The only good thing is he did well at 5 in the Asia Cup. It’s a good sign for him because now Sanju is the automatic choice as the first wicketkeeper for the T20 World Cup. He is sure to bat at No. 5.”
Srikkanth Predicts India’s Probable T20 World Cup XI
Srikkanth further remarked that the playing XI from the first T20I against Australia closely resembles the squad India could field in the T20 World Cup 2026.
“The 11 that played today is more or less the one for the T20 World Cup. Hardik Pandya will come into the 11 for Harshit Rana. That’ll be the 11 for the World Cup. Arshdeep might have to miss out again because of the combination as we have to play three spinners,” he said.
He also praised Shivam Dube for his consistent match-winning contributions.
“Dube can’t be dropped because India have won whenever he has played. He somehow ends up taking wickets even with his medium-pace bowling. So he’s your sixth option. So the team is almost set for the T20 World Cup. Now it’s all just about having match practice and getting into the rhythm,” Srikkanth added.
With Sanju Samson’s steady form and Srikkanth’s public backing, the wicketkeeper-batter looks poised to play a key role in India’s T20 World Cup 2026 campaign.
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