‘Wonder why Sanju is not in the side’?:Ravi Shastri questions Gautam Gambhir, Samson shines in Shubman Gill’s absence

Sanju Samson’s short but impactful knock against South Africa on Friday has forced the Indian team management to take a fresh look at him as an opener. Just a day before the T20 World Cup squad announcement, the wicketkeeper-batter made a strong statement with his fearless approach at the top of the order. Batting in the fifth T20I in Ahmedabad, Samson scored a brisk 37 off just 22 balls, including four boundaries and two sixes. His innings came at a crucial time, with questions still lingering over India’s opening combination ahead of the global tournament. Although his stay was brief, the intent and timing shown by Samson caught the attention of fans and experts alike, reopening the debate around his role in the T20I setup. Sanju Samson shines in Gill’s absence at Ahmedabad Sanju Samson walked in as an opener after a foot niggle had sidelined him earlier, giving him a chance at the top of the order. Partnering with Abhishek Sharma, Samson stitched together a quick 63-run opening stand that set the tone for India’s big total. Also read: Suryakumar Yadav, Shubman Gill 5/10, Tilak Varma gets 9.5/10: Report card of Indian players after 3-1 T20I series win over South Africa He looked fluent from the start and was particularly severe on the South African pacers. His innings eventually ended in the fifth over when he was dismissed by George Linde, but by then, he had already made his presence felt. Shastri questions Gautam Gambhir ahead of T20I WC squad announcement One of the standout moments of Samson’s innings came against Marco Jansen. In the fifth over, he hammered a fuller delivery over extra cover, drawing instant praise from former India head coach Ravi Shastri. “Marco Jansen to Samson, FOUR, shot! Fullish delivery angled across, Samson makes a bit of room and thumps it over extra cover. He gave himself the space to free his hands and middled the inside-out shot.” Also read: WATCH | Sanju Samson hits hard, umpire injured: Hardik Pandya records second fastest half-century hits cameraman; Tilak reaches fifty in style Reacting on air, Shastri questioned Samson’s prolonged absence from the playing XI. “Bang into the gap, four more. And when you see him batting like this, you sometimes think, why is he not in the side in the 1st place? Why is it? Why should it be an injury that brings him in,” Shastri said. He further added, “He’s just a natural for that position at the top of the order. Three hundreds already in T20 cricket, two against the South Africans, back-to-back the cause of shots like this. He is explosive and dangerous.” Also read: India win 5th T20I by 30 runs, clinch series 3-1: South Africa succumb to Varun Chakravarthy’s clinical 4-wicket haul, Hardik’s fiery 63(25) Hardik-Tilak power India to a big total against South Africa After Samson’s dismissal, India found further momentum through Hardik Pandya and Tilak Varma. Hardik smashed a stunning 16-ball half-century, the second-fastest by an Indian in T20Is, on his way to a blazing 63. Tilak Varma complemented him perfectly with a fluent 73. Together, the duo added 105 runs in just 44 balls, lifting India to a massive total of 232 and underlining the team’s batting depth ahead of the T20I World Cup.