Sanju Samson has played a role in Shubman Gill’s poor returns in T20I cricket. This seems like a prevalent opinion. Not one, but two former Indian cricketers think Gill replacing Samson as India’s opener is a factor behind the former’s underwhelming performance.
Samson’s performance weighing Gill down
Aakash Chopra pointed it out after Gill failed in Cuttack, and Irfan Pathan has spoken about it after his Mullanpur duck. The former Indian all-rounder is concerned about Gill, who isn’t just India’s opener but also vice-captain. He thinks Samson’s past performances are weighing Gill down.
“The main topic is Shubman Gill. He is the vice-captain, and the World Cup is nearing. But runs are not coming, and he is struggling for form. He must make runs if he is to cement his spot in the T20I side; otherwise, he will be more under pressure. Gill got out for a first-ball duck in the second T20I, but it’s not his game to step out and play as he did in the first. Whenever he doesn’t make runs, the pressure will pile on because Sanju Samson is currently benched,” Irfan said on his YouTube channel.
What’s the solution?
However, dropping Gill isn’t the answer. Because by dropping Samson, you have already hit his confidence. Now, if he’s brought back for Gill and fails, you’ll have two openers who are under pressure and unsure about their spots.
“If Samson is brought into the side and doesn’t make runs, then India will be in a catch-22 situation. But if India is backing Gill for the World Cup, it’s critical for him to make runs. If it doesn’t, it will hurt India due to the good start they might not get. Secondly, Gill will find himself under constant pressure because he is part of the leadership group,” he said.
The management can’t drop Gill, because he’s the deputy to Suryakumar Yadav. However, if he doesn’t perform now, and specifically in the 2026 T20 World Cup, people will question the board and the management.
“Hence, Samson should also be mentally ready. I will say it again that Gill will score runs if he sticks to his own game plan. If he keeps thinking that there’s another player waiting, it will be trouble. The team management’s role will be important then,” Irfan concluded.
Shubman Gill vs Sanju Samson: T20I stats comparison as opener (from July 1, 2024 onwards)
| Batter | Matches | Runs | Highest Score | Average | Strike Rate | 100s | 50s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shubman Gill | 20 | 506 | 66 | 31.62 | 136.38 | 0 | 2 |
| Sanju Samson | 13 | 417 | 111 | 34.75 | 182.89 | 3 | 0 |
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