Why Sanju Samson Will Shine As An Opener Against Bangladesh In T20Is?
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Sanju Samson batting for India (Source:@BCCI/X.com)
Sanju Samson is considered as one of the finest talents in India and was touted as the next big thing from his U19 days. However, over the years, consistency has not been his strong forte, and as a result, he has not been able to cement his place in the India side. In the last couple of years, he has improved a lot though, and was also part of India's T20 World Cup side.
He scored a fifty against Zimbabwe after the World Cup but bagged two ducks in the Sri Lanka series to continue his reputation as an inconsistent batter. The upcoming T20I series against Bangladesh is another opportunity for Sanju to impress selectors, and with only one opener in the squad, he looks set to accompany Abhishek Sharma at the top of the order. So, here are a few reasons why Sanju Samson can excel as an opener in the Bangladesh T20Is -
Powerplay Provides More Leeway To Aggressive Starter
Sanju Samson has the knack of hitting boundaries early in this innings. He likes to start on an aggressive note, and quite often has been guilty of throwing away those starts. However, as an opener, he would get more overs with fielding restrictions which can help him capitalise for a longer time and continue his free-flowing strokeplay.
Also, Sanju Samson relies more on timing than hitting with brute force which makes him a good option in the Powerplay, a phase where he can find boundaries just by finding gaps or hitting over the infield. Sanju also tends to get caught in the deep while trying to hit one into the crowd. The Powerplay restrictions reduce that danger too, increasing his chances of delivering at the top of the order.
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No Baggage At The Top Of The Order
Sanju Samson's batting temperament has been a point of concern, particularly when his team loses early wickets. He has struggled to adapt to situations where his team needs him to steady the ship after a collapse or balance caution with aggression in tense moments. So, opening the innings would give him more freedom to set the momentum for his side, and not go into the ground with any baggage which might bring out the best of him.
In the past, players like Rohit Sharma and Virender Sehwag have benefitted from moving to the top of the order, and Sanju Samson, who is also a talented and aggressive batter, might unleash his real force as an opener.
Samson's Record As Opener And Current Form
The talented right-handed batter from Kerala has a poor record in T20Is with an average of just 19.30. However, his highest score in the format for India came as an opener when he smashed 77 against Ireland in 2022. So, he has some good memories at that position in Indian colours and apart from his twin ducks against Sri Lanka, he has been in good form as well.
IPL 2024 was his best as a batter and the batter also smashed a century in the Duleep Trophy recently. In the last year or so, he has also shown more consistency and maturity in his approach and looks all set to sizzle as an opener with a rare guarantee of playing all three matches of the series at his disposal.
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