He played the cut shot, punch shots off the backfoot, lofted strokes down the ground, and a few pulls in between.
Sanju Samson was seen practising in the nets at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium in UAE ahead of the five-match T20I series against England. As visible from the video posted by a user on X (formerly Twitter), Samson was determined and unfurled a range of shots in the net session.
He played the cut shot, punch shots off the backfoot, lofted strokes down the ground, and a few pulls in between. Samson looked fantastic and is preparing hard for the impending T20I series against a quality England outfit.
Samson has been one of the best performers in the T20I arena lately, for he has scored runs and centuries for fun in the shortest format. Since 2023, he has had 514 runs at an average of 34.26 and a 169.63 strike rate in 18 outings, including one fifty and as many as three centuries.
Also Read: Sacked From Central Contract, India Star Announced As Punjab Kings Captain for IPL 2025
He will be the leading wicketkeeper batter in the T20I series against England, with Dhruv Jurel named his backup. Samson has earned this spot on the back of consistent performances but must keep scoring runs due to the intense competition among too many wicketkeeper batters available in the pool.
While Sanju Samson’s dominance has come in the shortest format, it won’t be surprising if the management prefers him over Rishabh Pant for the Champions Trophy next month. Samson has all the talent in the world and can be mighty effective on UAE decks that are slightly on the slower and lower side.
Samson’s expertise in hitting off-pace deliveries and handling slow bowlers brilliantly makes him an ideal candidate for the middle order. His range is more vast than Pant against spinners, which will play a crucial role in the ICC event.
Samson’s ODI numbers are also encouraging, and he has done well in limited chances. He has 510 runs at an average of 56.66 and a strike rate of 99.60 in 14 innings, including three fifties and a century.
While Pant has done nothing wrong to be dropped from the ODI format, the team management and selectors should adopt a “horses for courses” approach and select Samson. His chances will be further boosted if he continues his terrific run in the T20I series against England.
For more updates, follow CricXtasy on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Telegram, and YouTube.
