IND vs ENG: Samson has not been able to perform consistently well for India, scored three centuries but could not score 5+ runs six times

There are a lot of expectations from star batsman Sanju Samson in the five-match T20 series between India and England. However, he has failed to perform as expected in the first three T20s. He has been able to score just 34 runs in three matches. These include scores of 3, 5, and 26. Before the start of the series, captain Suryakumar Yadav had expressed confidence in him and said that no matter what, Samson will remain our wicketkeeper. However, due to his inability to perform consistently, he has been dropped from time to time. Now he is getting opportunities continuously, but his consistency with the bat remains a cause of concern.

Samson's last 12 innings

Samson has scored three centuries in the last 12 T20 innings for India, but could not score more than five-six times. Four times in these six times, Samson could not even open the account. Apart from three centuries in these 12 innings, there is no score of 50+. He has played 12 T20s since India won the T20 World Cup 2024. Last year, he could not open his account in two matches against Sri Lanka. After this, in the first two matches of the three-match T20 series against Bangladesh, he scored 29 and 10 runs. Then in the third T20, he scored 111 runs in 47 balls.

Could not do anything special against England

This form continued in the next match against South Africa as well. In the first match of the four-match T20 series against South Africa, he scored 107 runs in 50 balls. However, then he could not open the account in the second and third T20s. In the fourth T20, Samson scored an unbeaten 109 off 56 balls. Then in the first three matches of the five-match T20 series against England, he has been able to score 26, 5, 3. After winning the T20 World Cup 2024, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli retired from T20 Internationals. After this, Samson was given a new responsibility as an opener. He has proved his talent but has not been able to perform consistently well.

Debuted in 2015, has been able to play 40 T20s so far

Samson made his T20 debut for India in 2015 and due to this consistent performance, he has been able to play only 40 T20s so far. In its 36 innings, he has been able to score 844 runs at an average of 26.38 and a strike rate of 152.07. These include three centuries and two half-centuries. He has been out on zero six times. Samson scored his first half-century in T20 Internationals seven years after his debut i.e. in 2022. Then he played an innings of 77 runs against Ireland.

Expectations from Samson in the fourth and fifth T20s

He scored his second half-century against Zimbabwe in 2024. He scored 58 runs then. A big innings will be expected from Samson in the fourth and fifth T20s. India lost the third T20 against England by 26 runs. India is currently leading the series 2-1. India won the first T20 by seven wickets and the second T20 by two wickets. The fourth T20 will be played in Pune on January 31 and the fifth T20 will be played in Mumbai on February 2.