A big debate has started regarding Sanju Samson’s place in India’s T20 team and this time the criticism is loud and serious after his poor performance in the New Zealand series on home soil. Former Indian fast bowler Sudeep Tyagi has openly raised the question as to why Sanju Samson is still getting chances despite his poor form for a long time.
Sanju Samson’s shocking statistics raise concerns before T20 World Cup 2026!
Despite being given a long time as an opening batsman, Samson is struggling badly for consistency in T20I cricket from January 2025. After a dream year in 2024, where he scored three T20I centuries and looked unstoppable, his form has completely fallen off in 2025 and 2026.
In 2015, Samson scored only 238 runs at an average of 17.00 and a strike rate of 126.59 with only one century. The Indian wicketkeeper-batsman’s worst spell came during the recent T20I series against New Zealand in January 2026, where he could only manage 46 runs in five matches at an average of 9.20.
Also read: Sunil Gavaskar drops Sanju Samson from India XI for T20 World Cup 2026
Since January 2025, the Kerala star has averaged only 12.8 in his last ten T20I innings as an opening batsman. Out of nine innings at the top, he crossed the powerplay only twice, raising serious concerns as the Indian cricket team gears up to defend the T20 World Cup title at home and in Sri Lanka.
Samson is under pressure due to the return of Ishan Kishan
This poor form has put Samson’s place in the T20 World Cup 2026 squad at risk, especially when comeback batsman Ishan Kishan has been performing brilliantly.
Kishan made a strong comeback and scored 215 runs at an impressive average of over 54 and a blistering strike rate of 231.18.
This player from Bihar also scored a century against New Zealand. Considering Ishan’s excellent form, Tyagi feels that the in-form wicketkeeper deserves a place in the playing eleven at the mega event. The former Indian fast bowler admitted that Samson is a talented batsman, but runs are not being scored.
Sudeep Tyagi criticized Sanju Samson’s poor form
Tyagi said that the right-handed batsman has already got enough chances and has failed to perform well, so it is time for the team management to keep Sanju on the bench.
“I think Sanju Samson is a good player. He is a talented player, but you have to convert talent into performances. It is very important. And he has already been given a lot of matches,” Sudeep Tyagi said in an exclusive interview with CricketAddict.
But he is not performing. Whatever the reasons, sometimes players are unable to perform. This does not mean that he is a bad player. He is a very good player. But his form has not arrived yet.”
Also read: Virat Kohli was directly targeted after the famous Indian broadcaster raised questions on MS Dhoni not leaving Ranchi.
Talent means nothing without runs: Tyagi makes fun of Sanju Samson, supports Ishan Kishan
Furthermore, the former Indian fast bowler mercilessly trolled Samson by saying that talent means nothing without performance. Even Tyagi has claimed that Ishan deserves a place in the India XI this time, not Sanju, after his brilliant comeback at the national level.
Tyagi said, “And the second thing is that when Ishan came back, he made a great comeback. So, you can’t ignore him either. So, it is a good, healthy competition. But I think Ishan Kishan should play at the moment because he is performing well.”
And I believe that no matter how talented you are, if you are not performing, that talent is nothing. They should bring Ishan Kishan to the top.”
