Under-fire Sanju Samson once again struggled to make his mark, scoring only 12 runs in the second ODI against South Africa on December 19, leading to criticism from commentator Simon Doull. Doull said that Samson frequently gets out at crucial moments, as evidenced by his disappointing performance in the second ODI against South Africa, where he was dismissed after scoring mere 12 runs in India's eight-wicket loss. Samson has consistently missed opportunities to prove himself over an extended period.
Samson's lack of consistency is a growing concern, especially since his notable contributions have been sparse, with just one significant innings during the recent tour of the West Indies. With players like KL Rahul and Ishan Kishan, who have produced some fine knocks, already in the mix, Samson's position in the Indian team appears precarious. His ongoing struggle to find form is jeopardising his chances of securing a regular spot in India’s ODI lineup.
Doull critiqued Samson’s technique, describing his dismissal as typical for an Indian batter who tries to shuffle and play inside the line, only to edge the ball onto the stumps. He noted that while this approach might be effective in Indian conditions, it falls short in scenarios where the ball exhibits more movement. Doull expressed frustration over Samson's tendency to play outside the off-stump line, a habit that draws criticism from fans and analysts alike.
“Yeah, he’s not had a real extended run, but he’s had opportunities in back-to-back games. Quite a typical, Sanju Samson dismissal. You know, he finds ways to get out when at times he shouldn’t. He’s a little shuffle playing away from his body. We see that often. It’s ok on surfaces in India to be playing away from your body when the ball doesn’t do much,” Doull said, as quoted by Cricketaddictor.
“But it’s nipping around a little, quite fraught with danger, that type of shot, you see the angle of the bat at 45 degrees. It’s not a classical straight bat shot. He sort of wants that wand outside the line of off-stump far too often, and I think that’s why people get frustrated with Sanju. There are those who absolutely love him, and when he’s flowing, there’s not much better to watch. The problem for Sanju is putting it together in the blue shirt,” Doull added.
Meanwhile, former India's opener Aakash Chopra recently pointed out that Samson tends to be selected for formats that are not a primary focus for the Indian team. He noted that Samson was not part of the ODI team leading up to the World Cup and was also absent from India's squads for the World Cup and Asia Cup. Now, with the ODI World Cup concluded and the spotlight shifting to the upcoming T20 World Cup and the ongoing World Test Championship (WTC) 2025 cycle, Samson has found a place in the ODI team. Chopra attributed Samson’s exclusion from more critical formats to his lack of consistency. He emphasised that Samson has been out of form for an extended period and has notably struggled to deliver performances for the Indian national team.
It will be interesting to see whether Samson gets a chance in the series decider against South Africa on December 21.
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