Sanju Samson’s recent struggles at the crease have sparked renewed debate over his position in India’s T20I XI, but former India batter Cheteshwar Pujara insists the wicketkeeper-batter deserves a consistent opportunity rather than scrutiny after isolated setbacks.
Samson failed to make an impact in the opening T20I against the West Indies, extending a run of low scores that has raised doubts about his current form. With young sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi awaiting his chance, the competition for batting spots in the Indian squad has grown fiercer.
Despite the slump, Pujara maintains that Samson’s track record and match-winning pedigree justify patience from the management.
“I hope that there is no pressure on him, because there shouldn’t be. He has won a World Cup for the Indian team and performed exceptionally well there. He’s a quality player. So there shouldn’t be any questions around him being part of the playing XI,” Pujara said on JioStar.
Pujara emphasized that every T20 batter goes through rough patches and that the onus is on the team management to ensure Samson feels secure in his role.
“Yes, you might have one or two bad games, and then if he has that, that’s the time when the team management has to step in, give him the right message that, ‘You are an important part of this team and will be part of this playing XI, so just go out there, express yourself, play your natural game,'” he added.
Pujara also recognized Sooryavanshi’s talent but cautioned against making frequent changes based on a few underwhelming performances. He expressed confidence that Samson would regain his form if given another opportunity.
The former India batter believes Samson can recover quickly in the T20 format, where established players often experience spells of inconsistency.
Samson has shown glimpses of form earlier in the series, notably against Afghanistan, but has managed just 29 runs in his last four innings and will be eager to return to scoring mode.