After nearly a decade of waiting in the wings and endless debates over his place in the national side, Sanju Samson has finally received a definitive role. The 31-year-old wicketkeeper-batsman has been selected as an opener in India's squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup, a moment that arrives after years of fluctuating fortunes and intense scrutiny.
The Long Road to Clarity
Samson's journey to this point has been anything but straightforward. For the past three years, the Indian team management has appeared unable to settle on a first-choice wicketkeeper for the T20I format. Despite changes in leadership, a game of musical chairs persisted between Dinesh Karthik, Rishabh Pant, Samson himself, and Ishan Kishan. Jitesh Sharma was the latest name added to this revolving list before he, too, was omitted from the World Cup squad set to compete in India and Sri Lanka early next year.
The selection chaos extended to the opening slots as well. Following the T20I retirements of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, the selectors had seemingly locked in Shubman Gill and Yashasvi Jaiswal as the new opening pair. In a surprising turn, neither batsman found a place in the final T20 World Cup team.
A Strategy Mired in Confusion
Samson's current opportunity stems from his successful performances at the top of the order during Gill's absence after the 2024 T20 World Cup. However, his reward in 2025 was a period of utter confusion. When Jaiswal was away on Test duty, the management embraced Abhishek Sharma's aggressive hitting as an opener. Yet, when Gill returned to the T20I setup, the same freedom was not extended to Samson, despite the Kerala batsman posting superior numbers compared to Abhishek during their time together.
Further complicating matters, after the last IPL season, the team management expressed a desire for the wicketkeeper to bat in the middle order. This directive threw Samson out of his comfort zone at the top, even though captain Suryakumar Yadav had assured him of complete backing as an opener the previous year.
The Numbers Game and the Final Nod
Criticisms emerged about Samson's game outside the powerplay and against high-quality pace. However, a closer look at the statistics reveals that none of the other wicketkeeping contenders could firmly claim the spot based on numbers alone. Ishan Kishan, who was recalled as the second wicketkeeper after two years at Jitesh's expense, has a lower strike rate and average than even Rishabh Pant in the format.
Former India batting coach Vikram Rathour highlighted Samson's past challenges, noting last November that the player often only got chances in second-string sides or when someone was rested, which may have led him to try too hard. Rathour praised Samson's newfound calmness and acceptance, even when he was benched during the last T20 World Cup.
The team management had a golden chance to establish absolute clarity once Samson excelled as an opener. Instead, they deviated from him before making a last-minute pivot back to him for the World Cup. Following a stirring comeback innings in the last T20I against South Africa in Ahmedabad, a coy Samson dodged a direct question from broadcasters about his permanent opening role, saying, "Please don't put me in such positions."
Now, with captain Suryakumar Yadav stating that the team is not overly concerned with left-right combinations, there could be another twist in Samson's tale. Despite his evident talent, he has often been viewed as the dispensable player. For the first time in a long while, there is some clarity regarding the T20I wicketkeeper's role. The onus is now on both Sanju Samson and the Indian team management to maintain consistency in their approach and finally put the debate to rest, at least until the T20 World Cup concludes.
