The batter has scored 46 runs in the T20 World Cup 2026 so far.
While making a comeback into the playing XI against Zimbabwe in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, the star Indian wicketkeeper-batter Sanju Samson once again failed to put up a 30-plus score. But despite yet another low-scoring outing, former all-rounder Ravichandran Ashwin has backed the player ahead of the hosts’ all-important encounter against the West Indies.
The 48-run partnership between Samson and Abhishek Sharma against Zimbabwe was the highest opening partnership for India in the T20 World Cup 2026 so far. This clearly explains how the Indian openers have struggled throughout the event to get the team off to a fierce start. Considering the defending champions’ power-packed middle order, Ashwin noted that even the small, pulsating cameos from the top could prove to be match-winning for the side.
“This team, in this World Cup, addressed the opening partnership in this game. We got a better start. If Sanju can give me 15-ball 28, 16-ball 30, from here till the final, he would have done a job for the team. Maybe he can score big also, but he has done the job,” he stated.
Before his 15-ball 24 last night, the gloveman had also amassed a quickfire 22 off just eight deliveries against Namibia.
“I really do want him to stick in and make a huge score. There will not be a better opportunity than this. Even if you fall, you can say you tried at least. I would want him to finish the World Cup with a hundred, or that match-winning performance, for his confidence. He deserves it,” said Ashwin on his YouTube channel.
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Since India’s victorious campaign in the last edition of the T20 World Cup, the fiery opening pair of Samson and Abhishek had introduced a new, blistering template in the team’s 20-over approach. The duo’s consistency and a bunch of successful partnerships had almost cemented their opening spot for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026.
But it was September 2025, when India’s Test and ODI captain Shubman Gill was paired up with Abhishek to open for the Asia Cup, pushing Samson down to the middle order. However, his exclusion from the squad just ahead of the T20 championship was once again set to make way for Samson to take up his usual spot. Although his continued lean patch amidst the stellar form of Ishan Kishan confirmed the latter’s place at the top of India’s playing XI.
But as things panned out for the defending champions in the T20 World Cup 2026, the management had to bring back the right-hander in the side’s starting XI. The 31-year-old would be expected to put up another blazing show with India set to play in a virtual quarter-final match against the Caribbeans to seal a berth in the T20 World Cup 2026 semi-final.
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