NEW DELHI: Struggling opener Sanju Samson received a significant vote of confidence from India's bowling coach Morne Morkel on Tuesday, with the former South African fast bowler expressing firm belief that the right-handed batsman is merely one substantial innings away from reversing his current lean patch. Samson has accumulated only 16 runs across three T20 Internationals so far in the series, with his highest score being a modest 10, even as fellow top-order batters like Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan, and Suryakumar Yadav have been dominating New Zealand's bowling attack with impressive performances.
Morkel's Optimistic Assessment
Sanju is one knock away from getting that confidence, getting that form back, Morkel emphasized on the eve of the fourth T20I in Visakhapatnam. For us, building up to the World Cup it's important for the guys to find that peak performance at the right time. He's training well, he's hitting the ball very well, the coach added, highlighting Samson's preparation and potential despite the recent run drought.
Intensive Net Session
Despite the training session being optional, Samson dedicated over 30 minutes to refining his skills in the nets, facing a variety of bowlers including Axar Patel, Varun Chakravarthy, Abhishek Sharma, and side-armer Raghu. After an initial period of rustiness, Samson gradually found his rhythm, sending the ball racing to the far corners of the ACA-VDCA Stadium with increasing authority and precision.
Coaching Support and Guidance
The Kerala batter later engaged in an extended discussion on the sidelines with head coach Gautam Gambhir and batting coach Sitanshu Kotak, while Shreyas Iyer continued his own practice routine nearby. Both coaches were observed patiently offering guidance and technical advice to the out-of-form batter, demonstrating the team's collective effort to support Samson through this challenging phase.
Team Success Over Individual Returns
Morkel, however, downplayed concerns surrounding Samson's struggles, stressing that the team's overall success remains the paramount priority over individual statistics. So, I think it's just a matter of time for him to get his foot on the board. But the main focus is that the team is winning, and I think that's important, Morkel stated. We're 3-0 up in this series at the moment, the boys are playing some very good cricket. We've got a couple of games now before the start of the World Cup, and I have no doubt that Sanju will find his form, the South African coach concluded optimistically.
