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Consistent In IPL Openers, Samson Would Look To Circumvent Inconstancy Vs KKR

Bhargav Dixit

Sanju Samson was used as an Impact Player on Sunday. [Source: AP Photos]Sanju Samson was used as an Impact Player on Sunday. [Source: AP Photos]

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Although Sanju Samson has never played for Mumbai Indians, there’s a glaring similarity between them. Although entirely opposite, both the player and the franchise have managed to remain consistent with their performance in the first match of an Indian Premier League season.

While MI are yet to win their season opener since 2012, Samson is yet to not score a half-century in the first match since 2020. In this regard, he has now amassed 451 runs at a mind-blowing average and strike rate of 90.2 and 185.59 respectively.

In what started with a knock which aided him in breaking the ice with former Chennai Super Kings captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni, it has since resulted in a career-best century and five half-centuries. While most of these knocks have come at No. 3, two, including the latest one against Sunrisers Hyderabad, have come at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium.

It Wasn’t Always The Case With Sanju Samson

Been playing the Indian Premier League since 2013, Samson wasn’t guaranteed to start big during his formative years in the cash-rich league. For the first seven years, all he could manage in season openers were 142 runs at an average of 23.66 and a strike rate of 109.23 without any half-century.

It was also the time when Samson was made to jump up and down the batting order for two different franchises. Having never led in this phase, the right-handed batter mostly played these matches as a specialist batter.

Sanju Samson Needs To Remain Consistent

Often denounced for being inconsistent and wasting starts, Samson would want to make something special out of this early momentum. Set to be used as an Impact Player for two more matches, practicing consistency will aid the 30-year-old player’s Indian-heavy batting lineup to a large extent.


Historically, Samson has followed his golden starts with two 400+ seasons and one 500+ season. Yet to register a 600+ season individually, doing it as India’s designated T20I opening batter would be the best way to not only justify the promotion at the highest level but also further cement his position with less than 12 months remaining for ICC T20 World Cup 2026.

As far as Samson’s second matches since 2020 are concerned, he did score a successive half-century in the first year but hasn’t been able to do it since then. Overall, his 176 runs have come at an average of 35.2 and a strike rate of 167.61. While the numbers aren’t poor per se, if Samson is able to better them this year, defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders’ worries could increase at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium on Wednesday.