Sanju Samson's Witty reply to Irfan Pathan (Source: @iamyusufpathan/x.com, @ForIme420/x.com)
The thrilling five-match T20I series between India and South Africa ended on a sweet note for the Indian fans as the Men in Blue clinched the series by a 3-1 margin. The series sparked a debate over the perfect opener spot in the Indian side in the shortest format, with the choice between Shubman Gill and Sanju Samson.
As Gill missed the last match due to injury, Samson stunned the world with a fiery knock. After India sealed the victory, when Irfan Pathan asked Samson about communication with the management, Sanju’s witty answer grabbed everyone’s attention.
Sanju reacts to questions about communication with management
After the Test horror, Team India bounced back in the limited-overs series, defeating the Proteas both in the ODI and T20I series. Though the Men in Blue delivered classy T20 action, Shubman Gill’s struggles at the top stirred a storm of debate. With Sanju Samson warming the bench despite strong stats, fans are demanding a rethink on India’s opener choice.
After Gill missed the fifth T20I due to an injury, Sanju Samson opened the innings, and a fiery knock of 37 runs in 22 balls. India clinched the win, but the spotlight shifted when Irfan Pathan asked about Samson’s communication with the team management. Speaking to the broadcasters, Sanju’s witty reply grabbed the attention.
“The team environment, as Irfan bhai mentioned, is very important. A big tournament is coming up, but I’ve been in the system for a long time and have enough experience, so I knew what the management was trying to do. I have a good relationship with Surya and Gautam bhai, so we always have open and frank conversations,” he said.
Will Sanju regularly open in the shortest format?
The opening position of the Indian side in the shortest format recently sparked debate. Despite Shubman Gill struggling in the format, the team management kept pushing him, leaving Samson behind.
Samson has an impressive stat as an opener as he scored 559 runs in 18 innings, with a strike rate of 178.02. When Irfan Pathan asked if he would take the opener spot, Sanju’s hilarious reply had everyone in stitches.
“Brother, you make me open, what else can I say! You can’t ask questions like these, Irfan bhai,” he added.
With the T20 World Cup around the corner, India’s opener slot is under the microscope. In Gill’s absence, Samson delivered a classy knock, sending a stern message to the selectors. As the Men in Blue will face New Zealand in the shortest format, it will be interesting to see if the management still backs Gill or lets Sanju unveil his firepower.
