'They may send him at No. 11 next!': Ex-India opener slams handling of Sanju Samson's batting role

Former India cricketer Kris Srikkanth fiercely defended Sanju Samson, calling him 'unlucky' due to inconsistent batting positions despite strong T20 performances. Srikkanth highlighted Samson's success as an opener and criticised his frequent shuffling from No. 3 to No. 8. He believes Samson is now the automatic T20 World Cup wicketkeeper choice.

Shubman Gill and Sanju Samson

NEW DELHI: Former India cricketer Kris Srikkanth has launched a fiery defense of Sanju Samson, saying the wicketkeeper-batter has been unfairly treated despite proving his worth at the top of the order in T20 internationals.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW! Srikkanth, never one to mince words, expressed his frustration over the constant shuffling of Samson's batting position, which he believes has disrupted the Kerala cricketer's rhythm and confidence.

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“The guy who's most unlucky is Sanju Samson,” Srikkanth said on his YouTube channel. “He was scoring centuries as an opener. But now they send him everywhere — from No. 3 to No. 8. If given an opportunity, they may send him at No. 11 also! A person like Sanju will naturally feel bad after doing so well at the top, but he has no option but to be tight-lipped and bat wherever the team asks him to.” Since India's 2024 T20 World Cup triumph, Samson has been one of their most explosive openers, smashing three centuries and averaging 37 at a strike rate of 183 in just 13 innings. His partnership with Abhishek Sharma at the top had been instrumental in India's new aggressive T20 template.

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Opening position Middle order (No. 3-5) Lower order (No. 6-8)

However, with Shubman Gill's return to the T20I setup during the Asia Cup , Samson was pushed down the order — batting at No. 5 thrice, once at No. 3, and even not getting to bat until No. 8 against Bangladesh. Despite the inconsistency, Samson played a crucial hand in the Asia Cup final, scoring a valuable 21-ball 24 in India's tense last-over win against Pakistan. Srikkanth, though critical of Samson's treatment, remains optimistic about his future. “The only good thing is he did well at No. 5 in the Asia Cup. It's a good sign because Sanju is now the automatic choice as the first wicketkeeper for the T20 World Cup,” he said. Looking ahead, the former India opener predicted that the XI which played the opening T20I against Australia in Canberra is “more or less the World Cup team,” with Hardik Pandya replacing Harshit Rana. “The team is almost set,” Srikkanth concluded. “Now it's just about getting match practice and rhythm before the World Cup.”

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