T20 World Cup: Will India keep the faith in Sanju Samson? – Times of India

As the IPL season 17 commenced, the narrative was dominated by Rishabh Pant’s remarkable resilience, bouncing back from a harrowing accident to grace the cricket field again. The most uplifting aspect of Pant’s return was his visibly improved fitness and agility, particularly his wicketkeeping skills. What also dominated headlines in the IPL was Sanju Samson’s newfound consistency that India’s ‘keeping stocks were boosted for the T20 World Cup in the USA and West Indies.

In most IPLs, Samson starts off with a bang, smashing a couple of match-winning knocks before tapering off. This time, though, Samson was a different man, leading the Rajasthan Royals.



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Starting with a match-winning 52-ball 82 not out against Lucknow Super Giants, the Kerala ’keeper-batsman, in a refreshing change, didn’t let the momentum drop, finishing with 531 runs in 16 matches at an average of 48.27, with five fifties and a strike rate of 153.46, most of them batting at No.3.

“Sanju has always been a good player of spin and pace and a good wicketkeeper. However, what impressed the selectors this time was that he looked fitter. If he had shown this attitude to the game before, he could’ve played far more for India,” a source involved in the current decision-making process in Indian cricket told TOI.



Praising Samson’s consistency in IPL 2024, former India wicketkeeper and ex-selector Saba Karim told TOI, “It was so refreshing to see Sanju bat like this. Everybody is talking about his consistency, but for me, more than that, it was the game awareness that he showed, as a captain and batter. His increased game awareness improved his consistency.”

Displaying stellar leadership skills, fine form with the bat and a calm demeanour under pressure, the 29-year-old steered the Royals into the playoffs, compelling the national selectors and the team management in captain Rohit Sharma and head coach Rahul Dravid to consider him as a viable option for the wicketkeeper-batsman’s slot for the T20 World Cup.

In the process, he pipped the experienced KL Rahul, who has scored 2265 runs in 72 matches for India and was a part of India’s last two T20 World Cup campaigns in UAE and Australia. Jitesh Sharma and Ishan Kishan were of course, left far behind by Samson.



Who will India pick though between Pant and Samson in the playing XI?

“They (Samson and Pant) play a different role altogether, so I don’t think there’s any competition between the two of them. Samson will get into the XI if the Indian team feels that it needs a batter at No 3, which means that Virat Kohli will open the innings. I don’t think Samson has been included in the team as a first or second wicketkeeper. He’s been included in the side as a batter. So, if the team management wants to play an additional top-order batter, then Samson will get in. Rishabh comes in lower down the order, at No 4 or No 5. It all depends on the needs of the team,” Karim felt.

Going by sources too, Pant is ahead in the race because he’s a left-hander. Pant’s T20 record, though, is hardly inspiring. In the 66 matches he’s played for India, the 26-year-old scored 987 runs at an average of 22.43 and with a strike rate of 126.37, with just three fifties.



“I feel both Rishabh and Sanju can play in the XI, because Rishabh is a left-hander. He’s adept at scoring at a high strike rate and is handy lower down, while Sanju can bat in the top-order, at NO. 3, if Virat opens,” Karim said.

For someone who has hardly done justice to his immense talent at the international stage, it isn’t surprising that Samson’s record in T20Is is modest — 374 runs in 25 matches at an average of 133.09, with just one fifty.

Since the 2022 T20 World Cup, Samson has played six T20 Internationals for India, in which he has scored just 54 runs. He also didn’t do much of note while playing for Kerala in domestic cricket which does not help.

But Samson is the man in form and his inclusion could be a game-changer for India. Should he play as the first-choice ‘keeper-batsman ahead of Pant?



“Not at all. If you noticed, Samson’s performance dropped off in the last five-six matches of this IPL too. He has been picked only because KL Rahul didn’t have a good IPL. Plus, you need a left-hander in the middle-order. Rishabh has made an impressive comeback, and could be our next captain,” former India off-spinner and selector Sarandeep Singh told TOI.

For now, Samson must consider himself lucky that he’s finally getting to play a World Cup for India. Will this T20 World Cup be a turning point in this talented cricketer’s career?