NEW DELHI: Sanju Samson is in full form! Recently, he made history as the first Indian to hit back-to-back centuries in T20 Internationals. Ever since India’s new captain Suryakumar Yadav, along with Gautam Gambhir, moved Samson up the order, he has been shining as an opener. And with his dhamaakedaar performances, he’s looking more and more settled in that spot.
Dinesh Karthik, former India cricketer, thinks it’s clear now – Samson has cemented his position as India’s T20I opener. While speaking on Cricbuzz, Karthik praised Samson’s consistent performances and said that pairing him with Yashasvi Jaiswal at the top could be India’s plan for T20Is going forward. “I feel he [Samson] has cemented his spot as an opener. Yashasvi Jaiswal and he will be the openers, at least for some time in T20Is,” Karthik said when asked about Samson’s role in the lineup.
On the same show, former India pacer Zaheer Khan mentioned that there is a big “traffic jam” of top-order batters vying for spots in India’s T20 team from positions 1 to 7. But he added that this depth is actually a great sign for the future. According to Zaheer, only consistent performers will hold their place because everyone needs to be fully focused.
“Performance hi sab kuch bolta hai. Right now, from 1-7, there’s a full-on traffic jam. It’s a very positive sign for Indian cricket in T20s. So anyone who’s there has to perform consistently to stay in. No one can take their eyes off the ball. You’ve got to stay fully focused,” Zaheer explained.
Zaheer also recalled a moment from Samson’s recent 107-run knock against South Africa in Durban, where Samson hit an unbelievable shot against Keshav Maharaj, showing just how skillful he has become as a top-order batsman.
“The shot he played against Keshav Maharaj was too good. He wasn’t even in the best position, was far off from the ball, yet he timed it so perfectly that it went all the way for six,” Zaheer remembered.
Karthik further analyzed that shot, highlighting how much Samson has improved his six-hitting ability. He shared how Samson’s calmness and technical changes have taken his game to the next level.
“He has made some solid technical changes, especially for this format. He’s focused on hitting more sixes. Against Maharaj, he stepped out but misread the length. Maharaj did well to beat him in the air, but Sanju stayed calm and waited on the shot, hitting it over the covers. Even when he missed the length, he didn’t panic. Holding that extra second – that’s not easy, but Sanju does it brilliantly. This quality makes him special,” Karthik explained.
With such performances, Samson looks like he’s fully at home as India’s go-to opener in T20Is, adding another strong option at the top of the order for the team.
