Indian captain, Suryakumar Yadav, ahead of the India v Bangladesh T20I series, starting from Sunday, October 6, confirmed that Sanju Samson will be opening for India alongside Abhishek Sharma.
With Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shubman Gill, both rested for the series after the Bangladesh Tests, ahead of the New Zealand series, this is going to be a good chance for both Samson and Abhishek to cement their spot in the T20I side, especially for Sanju, who has been around for a long time and has a point to prove.
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Let us have a look at how Samson has done as an opener in T20 cricket so far.
What is Samson's record as an opener in T20 cricket?
With all the other options not in the squad, for the first time, Samson is set to get a full three-match series to prove his worth in T20I cricket. The last time he opened in T20I cricket was in the first T20I against Bangaldesh in Gwalior and scored 29(19)
| Innings | Runs | Strike Rate | Highest | 4/6 | 50/100 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | 134 | 159.5 | 77 | 12/5 | 1/0 |
In T20 cricket, apart from internationals, the 29-year-old has opened for both his IPL franchises, Rajasthan Royals and Delhi Daredevils and has enjoyed a bit of success as well.
| Innings | Runs | Strike Rate | Highest | 4/6 | 50/100 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
24 | 559 | 135.02 | 74 | 51/24 | 3/0 |
Last chance for Sanju Samson to prove himself in international cricket?
Although the Kerala batter made his T20I debut in 2015, he has not been able to cement his spot in the Indian squad yet. For some reason or another, he has missed out on making it to the final 15 of the team or just didn't get an extended run. Out of his 30 T20Is, he has rarely played a full series with all freedom.
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However, in some of the opportunities that he has got, he hasn't returned with any incredible performances to solidify his claim as one of the best T20 strokemakers in the country.
He was one of the unused players in India's T20 World Cup triumph in 2024 and now, with Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli retiring from T20Is, he has a chip on his shoulder with another chance to become a permanent member of the squad and this might finally be his time to shine.
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