Former India cricketer Irfan Pathan believes that Sanju Samson is quite an inconsistent player when it comes to T20Is. The wicketkeeper-batter has been picked in India's squad for the upcoming T20I series against New Zealand despite him not being at his best in the format as of recent.
Samson's limited game-time
He was included in the playing XI for just two games out of five against Australia and made just a single appearance in the series against South Africa. His struggle for game-time is evident and it remains to be seen whether he will be picked in the playing XI for the assignment against New Zealand or not.
Pathan acknowledged that Samson has generally batted in explosive fashion for India, but highlighted that the latter remains inconsistent and gets dismissed for cheap on many occasions.
"Inconsistencies will be there, and a lot will depend on what the team management think about that, and how much patience the fans and pundits have. All of this has an impact on the player as well. Sanju Samson has never been a consistent player. He has been explosive. He will suddenly score a hundred and then the runs will not come, he has been that type of a player. Will all of that change now? I don't think so," Pathan said on his YouTube channel.
Pathan on Bumrah's workload
Pathan also shared his verdict on Jasprit Bumrah's workload heading into the 2026 T20 World Cup. He remarked that the pacer shouldn't pick and choose his matches in the tournament and should feature in every single one of India's fixtures.
"Now there should be no talk of pick and choose or rest. I want to see Jasprit Bumrah in top form going into the World Cup. Every bowler takes a while to hit their level after coming in from a break. It should not happen that he is playing 1-2 games, and then sitting out the next, I don't want to see that happen. He should play all five matches," Pathan added.
Meanwhile, the five-match T20I series between India and New Zealand is set to begin from January 21. The first match of the assignment will be played at the Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium in Maharashtra.