Abhishek Nayar said that Sanju Samson is to be given more opportunities despite his poor show in the recently concluded T20I series between India and the West Indies. Samson scored 13 runs off nine balls as India set a 166-run target for the Windies in the series-deciding final T20I in Lauderhill, Florida, on Sunday, August 13 and eventually lost as Brandon King smashed an unbeaten 85 off 55 deliveries to help his side win as well.

During a discussion on JioCinema, Nayar said: “I am not sure if he has lost an opportunity. He will definitely get an opportunity again because he is Sanju Samson. If you are in Sanju’s position, you will ask just one question that whether he is a No. 6 batter and whether he has batted at No. 6. He hasn’t done that. I feel it was a new role for him. He played three innings, didn’t make an impression. Probably there can be a question raised that he needs to score runs if he has been given opportunities. Today he was made to bat at No. 5.”

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However, Sanju Samson hit 32 runs in three innings at a dismal average of 10.67 and a below-par strike rate of 114.28 in the T20I series against the Windies as well. Abhishek Nayar also added Sanju Samson can be best utilized at No. 3.

“I believe if you want to utilize Sanju Samson more, bat him at No. 3 because that is his number. He is used to that and he is successful there, or else don’t play him. If you are going to play him at No. 5 or No. 6, play Rinku Singh instead. If you play Samson in the top three, you will get more out of him because he plays shots in the powerplay and then plays the spinners. So I believe not the right place but he will get opportunities,” he concluded.