Sanju Samson has struggled to get going in the five-match T20I series, with the right-hander accumulating only 40 runs in four games, including a golden duck.
The Struggle
Samson had a good opportunity to play a match-winning knock for his team as the Men in Blue lost a couple of quick wickets while chasing a score of 216 runs, and the wicketkeeper batter was on route to do so, having scored 24 runs off 15 balls before he was dismissed by Mitchell Santner.
The Reaction
Following Samson’s dismissal, there were some strong reactions from former cricketers, including Sunil Gavaskar, who was visibly upset with the way Samson got out. The former Indian captain said on commentary, “My first impression is that there was no footwork at all. I’m not very sure whether there was any turn; the first impression was he was just standing there, making room and playing through the off side.”
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The Outcome
“Like I said, there was hardly any movement of the feet. Going outside leg-stump, once again exposing all three stumps-and when you miss, the bowler’s going to hit. That’s what happened to Sanju Samson for the second time around.”
The Competition
As far as Samson’s performance in the last 15 T20I innings is concerned, the batter has scored less than 300 runs with just one fifty-plus score against his name.
To add to that, Samson is facing stiff competition from Ishan Kishan, who happens to be the second wicketkeeping option in the squad and has made a strong comeback in international cricket.
The Timing
With less than ten days left for the T20 World Cup, time is fast running out for Samson, and he has a couple of games to cement his place in the playing XI considering the fact that Tilak Varma, who isn’t a part of the ongoing series against New Zealand certain to make it to the team for the multination tournament.
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