Samson was India’s first-choice wicketkeeper, with Ishan Kishan being the back-up, when the BCCI announced a 15-member squad for the T20 World Cup 2026 in December last year. However, Tilak Varma’s injury saw him being ruled out of the first three matches of the five-T20I series against New Zealand, giving an opportunity to Kishan.
Batting at the No. 3 spot, Kishan failed to capitalise in the first game, but he shone with a terrific 76 off 32 balls, laced with 11 fours and four sixes, in the second T20I. Meanwhile, Samson scored just 10 and six across the two matches.
Either Kishan or Samson will have to sit out if Tilak is available for the remaining two matches against New Zealand and the T20 World Cup.
“Now the question mark is what will you do when Tilak returns? Does Sanju Samson go out? Sanju is under pressure. He is looking desperate. Why are you becoming desperate?” 1983 World Cup winner and former India opener Krishnamachari Srikkanth said on ‘Cheeky Cheeka’, as quoted by Sportskeeda.
Samson was dropped off the second ball of India’s innings in the second T20I, but he wasted the opportunity by losing his wicket just two deliveries later.
“When he was dropped once, he should have just taken a single. The mistake he did was he went after the bowling rather then giving strike to Abhishek. You got a six. Rotate the strike, get back your rhythm. He became desperate. And when you become desperate, you become greedy. This is what happens,” Srikkanth added.
The former India batter further said that Kishan’s recent performance will put pressure on Samson.
“Now he (Samson) knows Ishan is scoring and is also a wicketkeeper, so that is going to put pressure on him. Now Gill can ask what he did, Shreyas is sitting out. The competition is so huge. Surya took some time and then got going. Sanju should have looked to do that,” Srikkanth said.