Sanju Samson‘s struggles at the top of India’s batting order continued during the first T20I against Afghanistan in Delhi on September 13, 2026. The opener was dismissed for 10 off 8 balls as India chased down Afghanistan’s total of 157 in 13.4 overs, winning by 7 wickets with 38 balls remaining.
Sanjay Manjrekar, providing commentary during the match, offered a forthright assessment of Samson’s performance. Manjrekar highlighted a pattern of inconsistency in the opener’s recent T20I appearances and suggested that Samson’s approach was not helping his case for a regular spot in the side.
“Sanju Samson doesn’t help his own cause; he’s pretty inconsistent,” Manjrekar, the former India batter, said while on air.
Samson’s recent T20I record illustrates the volatility that Manjrekar referenced. His last four innings in the format yielded scores of 27, 1, 0 and 5, showing significant fluctuation at the top of the order. This inconsistency has raised questions about his suitability for the opening position, particularly with other options available in the squad.
Despite Samson’s early dismissal, India’s chase was built on a dominant partnership between Abhishek Sharma and Ishan Kishan. Sharma, named Player of the Match, scored 82 off 32 balls, while Kishan contributed 42 off 33 balls. The pair added 121 runs off 53 balls for the second wicket, taking the chase away from Afghanistan’s reach.
Recent form raises questions about opening spot
Afghanistan had posted 156 for 8 in their innings, with Azmatullah Omarzai scoring 64 off 44 balls and Mohammad Nabi adding 33. India’s bowling attack was led by Arshdeep Singh, who took 3 wickets for 19 runs in 4 overs, restricting the opposition’s scoring in the death overs.
The second T20I between the two teams was scheduled for Tuesday, September 15, 2026, offering Samson another opportunity to address the concerns raised about his form and consistency at the opening position. With Vaibhav Sooryavanshi waiting on the bench, the pressure on Samson will be mounting exponentially with each low score.
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