Sanju Samson’s recent slump is becoming a talking point for India’s T20I side just days before they begin their World Cup title defence. Though India remain arguably the most dangerous T20 unit on paper, form cracks in key players can quickly change the complexion of a tournament. Samson, India’s leading T20I run-scorer in 2024, has struggled in the home series against New Zealand, managing only 40 runs across four innings — 24 of which came in Vizag on Wednesday night.

Contrast that with opening partner Abhishek Sharma, who has piled up 152 runs from four innings, despite registering two golden ducks. The worrying part for Samson has been that his low scores arrived on flat, batter-friendly pitches where runs have flowed freely for batters from both teams.

With a quality backup in Ishan Kishan — who has made encouraging noises since his T20I recall — Samson’s lean patch draws heightened scrutiny. Wednesday’s 50-run loss while chasing 216 provided a microcosm of Samson’s season: a promising start ended abruptly.

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Mitchell Santner’s delivery cleaned him up for 24 after it looked like Samson might get a big one. Veteran commentator Sunil Gavaskar, watching from the box, pointed to a technical lapse — specifically limited footwork — as the root cause.

“My first impression is that there was no footwork at all,” Sunil Gavaskar observed, noting Samson’s tendency to make room and play across the line. “Going outside leg-stump, exposing all three stumps — when you miss, the bowler’s going to hit.”

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For India, the takeaway is simple: while the batting arsenal is deep, small technical frailties can be costly in T20 cricket’s margin-for-error era. Samson must rediscover rhythm and movement quickly, or selectors may be tempted to accelerate Kishan’s return to the XI — and that’s a discussion the team can ill afford with the World Cup looming very soon.