The Indian cricket team management and head coach Gautam Gambhir have given Sanju Samson another chance in the Playing 11 in the ongoing T20I series against Bangladesh. Notably, Samson may have made his international debut in 2015 but is yet to cement his place in the side. Having said that, the retirement of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma will inevitably mean chance for other batters and the management for now has gone back to trying Samson who opened in the series opener in Gwalior.
Samson looked good during his stay in the pitch. In his 19-ball stay, Samson played some gorgeous strokes but failed to convert the start into a big score and departed for 29. And former India cricketer turned commentator Aakash Chopra was quick to warn the 29-year-old that he needs to score more runs, if he needs to cement his place. Notably, Samson has gotten a chance in this series with the likes of Shubman Gill and Yashasvi Jaiswal being rested from the shortest format.
READ HERE | IPL 2025 Biggest Rumours So Far: Rohit Sharma To LSG For 50 Crore, Sanju Samson To CSK & More
'Gautam Gambhir Said Long Back That If Sanju Samson Doesn't Play For India, It's India's Loss'
Aakash Chopra said that Samson's batting had an element of silken touch but highlighted how he once again could not convert the start into a big score.
"You need to talk about Sanju Samson. Abhishek Sharma was playing amazingly well until he was there but he got run out. But how well did Sanju play. Gautam Gambhir said long back that if Sanju Samson doesn't play for India, it's India's loss. He was made to open. The silken touch was seen. He wasn't hitting the ball hard. It seemed like he didn't want to hurt the ball, and he was hitting one four after another. When everyone was hitting, he also hit but by caressing the ball. You were getting hit, you were bleeding but you were not feeling the pain," Chopra said on his YouTube channel.
"He is good. He scored 29 runs. My only thing was that since he had reached here, he should go slightly further ahead. He should score a few more runs because, otherwise, they would drop him. He keeps moving in and out (of the side), and up and down (the batting order)," the ex-India opener stated.