Indian leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal has shared a frank assessment of Sanju Samson’s prolonged dip in form, insisting that pressure can no longer be cited as a valid explanation for the wicketkeeper-batter’s repeated failures. Samson’s struggles continued in the fourth T20I against New Zealand in Visakhapatnam, further intensifying debate around his role in India’s evolving plans for the T20 World Cup 2026. Chahal, speaking as a seasoned international cricketer, noted that Samson has enough experience to handle high-pressure situations.
Having spent over a decade in international cricket and adapted to multiple batting roles—from a middle-order batter in the IPL to an opener for India—Samson should be better equipped to navigate challenging phases. According to Chahal, the ongoing New Zealand series has offered Samson ample opportunities to make a statement, but the lack of meaningful returns has made his position increasingly vulnerable.
“Sanju Samson has played for many years. He started in the IPL middle order, then became an opener. After playing international cricket for 10–12 years, pressure shouldn’t be an excuse,” Yuzvendra Chahal said on JioStar. “He’s had four chances in this series. One or two failures are understandable, but not three or four. He knows that someone like Ishan Kishan, who is batting well at number three, is waiting. Sanju will blame himself for not making these chances count.”
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Despite his blunt assessment, Chahal advised against panic, highlighting that the T20 World Cup is still some distance away. He stressed that team selections should be made with a long-term vision rather than knee-jerk reactions, especially in a format where form can fluctuate quickly.
“There’s no need to feel too bad because the World Cup is still far away. There’s one more match against New Zealand. It now depends on the team management’s thinking,” Yuzvendra Chahal added. “If they feel Sanju is struggling as an opener and Ishan is doing well at number three, then the right call could be to rest Sanju and let Ishan open and keep wickets in the final T20I.”
Samson once again failed to convert a promising start in the fourth T20I, scoring 24 off 15 balls before falling to Mitchell Santner. While his intent was clear early on, the inability to build a substantial innings has become a recurring theme. In his last five T20I innings, Samson’s highest score is just 37, while across his previous 15 matches, he has managed only 262 runs at an average of 17.46.
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With only 40 runs in the New Zealand series so far, the 31-year-old finds himself under growing scrutiny, especially with Ishan Kishan consistently performing whenever fit. The competition for places is heating up as India inches closer to locking in combinations for the global T20 event.
Kishan, however, missed the fourth T20I due to a niggle, and his availability for the fifth and final match at the Greenfield International Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram on January 31 remains uncertain.
