Former India cricketer Aakash Chopra has suggested that Sanju Samson should be a strong contender for the wicketkeeper-batter slot in India’s squad for the 2026 T20 World Cup. However, Chopra also highlighted Samson’s challenges when batting in the middle order, a role he might be required to play in the tournament.
In recent T20Is, Samson has opened alongside Abhishek Sharma and enjoyed solid performances at the top of the order. With Shubman Gill returning to the squad and being named vice-captain for the upcoming Asia Cup, Samson’s position could shift down the batting lineup, increasing competition for middle-order spots. In such a scenario, Jitesh Sharma may be preferred over Samson for middle-order duties.
“Sanju Samson is the first contender because he played the last series. He has struck three centuries in his last 12 matches and is already part of the team. Naturally, he will be the first guy to consider. At Nos. 1 to 3 in T20s, he has scored over 6,000 runs at a strike rate of 140 and an average of 33. Those are very solid numbers,” Aakash Chopra said on his YouTube channel.
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However, Aakash Chopra noted a stark contrast when Samson bats lower down the order. “From Nos. 4 to 7, he has played 98 matches with an average of 20 and a strike rate of 126. Neither stat is particularly impressive. He’s a top-order player first, but his numbers dip significantly if moved down,” he added.
Chopra further stated that Samson, Rishabh Pant, and Dhruv Jurel are likely to compete for the secondary wicketkeeper role behind Jitesh Sharma for the T20 World Cup. Currently, Samson appears to lag in that race due to his underwhelming middle-order statistics, emphasising that his strongest case lies at the top of the batting lineup.
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With the Asia Cup and T20 World Cup approaching, Samson’s position in the Indian squad will remain a key talking point, with his ability to adapt to multiple batting positions potentially influencing his selection.
