With captain Rohit Sharma and maverick batter Virat Kohli excluded from India's T20I squad against Sri Lanka, the focus once again shifts on young talents like Sanju Samson, someone who has been toiling to earn much-deserved game time with the Men in Blue. The elegant right-handed batter was part of India's white-ball squad for the New Zealand tour in 2022 but he fell behind the pecking order again. Samson boasts a unique talent of clearing the boundary ropes with finesse and nonchalance. The 28-year-old is a household name in the country after tasting immense success in the Indian Premier League (IPL) and performing marvelously in domestic cricket while playing for Kerala. Yet, for some strange reasons, Samson hasn't enjoyed a consistent run with the national side.
After making his T20I debut eight years ago in 2015, the right-handed batter has played just 16 matches, scoring 296 runs in the process at a strike rate of 135.20. The Rajasthan Royals captain has also featured in 11 ODIs for the Men in Blue, scoring 330 runs at a fabulous average of 66 and strike of 104.80.
One of the biggest positives with Samson is that he has the skillset to bat at any position and during any phase of the match. He is terrific against fast bowlers and his nimble feet make him a master against spinners.
Rajasthan Royals head coach Kumar Sangakkara, who has closely monitored the rise of Samson, opened up on what batting position is ideal for the 28-year-old in T20s. In an exclusive in an interview with Sports Tak, the Sri Lankan legend affirmed that Samson is most suitable to bat at No.4.
"He's ideally suited at no.4 in T20 cricket, coming in after the first seven overs are done," Sangakkara said.
"He can bat anywhere. I think in India when he plays, he has to bat out of position. He has power, he has got touch, he has got a great temperament, good head on his shoulders. He understands how to navigate difficult situations. You can slot him anywhere and he will do well," he added.
The T20I series between India and Sri Lanka kicks off on January 03. It would be interesting to see if stand-in captain Hardik Pandya and the team management include Samson in the playing XI or not.
