Sanju Samson has endured a difficult run with the bat since India’s T20 World Cup triumph in March 2026. The opening batter has struggled to find consistency in the subsequent T20I matches, raising questions about his form and place in the team.
Hanuma Vihari has offered his perspective on Samson’s recent struggles, noting the pressure the batter is facing from emerging competition. Vihari highlighted how the combination of low scores and the emergence of new talent like Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has created a challenging situation for the established player.
Samson’s numbers over his last 11 T20I innings paint a concerning picture. Since the World Cup, he has accumulated 179 runs at an average of 16.27, with scores reading 5, 0, 1, 27, 10, 57, 50, 9, 7, 2, and 11 across these matches.
“The biggest question is another failure for Samson. How long a rope can he get? I am a big fan, and I would like him to play. But I think he is feeling insecure. He has also said before that when there is pressure from competition behind him, he cannot perform. That’s why, if you remember, when Ishan made a comeback in the New Zealand series before the World Cup, Samson did not perform. And now, Vaibhav is behind him. He must be feeling that pressure,” Vihari said in a video on his YouTube channel.
“Pressure plays a big part. Most people do not understand it. Those who have played know it, but those who have not don’t get it. That’s why, in cricket, especially when playing for India, you need to be able to handle pressure. Samson will be feeling that pressure, and for that matter, anyone would in his place,” he added.
The struggles have been evident across multiple competitions. At the Asian Games 2026, Samson scored 7 in the semifinal against Sri Lanka and 2 in the final against Pakistan. He also managed 9 in a one-off T20I against Japan.
However, Samson did show some form against Afghanistan, scoring 117 runs across three matches with two half-centuries, suggesting his technical ability remains intact despite the recent lean patch.
The pressure intensified following India’s opening T20I against West Indies on October 6 in Lucknow. Samson made 11 off 9 balls in that match, which India won by eight wickets. Shreyas Iyer led the team as captain and scored a maiden T20I century in the chase of a 170-plus target, completed in under 15 overs.
Despite the current form concerns, there remained backing for Samson at the leadership level. The team management had indicated a desire to continue with the World Cup-winning opening pair of Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson in the near future, though Vaibhav would wait for further opportunities to establish himself in the side.
