His recent struggles, with scores of 10, 6, and 0 in the first three matches against New Zealand, present a disappointing narrative.
His lackluster form becomes even more apparent when considering his closest rival, Ishan Kishan, who has captivated fans and analysts alike with his consistent performance.
There is a clear distinction between statistics and data, often blurred as people tend to conflate the two. While statistics provide a straightforward view, data delves deeper to reveal trends hidden within those statistics.
In 55 T20Is over 11 years, Samson has accumulated 1048 runs at a strike rate exceeding 147 (with averages being of lesser relevance in modern T20I metrics), including three fifties and three centuries—two of which were notched up on South African soil in late 2024.
His strike rate against Australia is 131, while it drops to 118 against England and sits at 113 when facing New Zealand.
Trends have emerged whenever Samson has opened since 2025.
England effectively figured him out at the start of last year, employing a fast and short-pitched strategy in five successive matches, compelling him to play rushed pull shots devoid of power or timing.
In 2026, bowlers like Matt Henry (twice) and Kyle Jamieson, who both deliver in the mid-130s, have bowled straight lines or targeted the leg-middle line, preventing him from fully opening up on the off-side. To explore the challenges affecting his batting, PTI spoke with former India opener WV Raman, a respected authority on batting technique, and Rajasthan Royals High Performance Director Zubin Bharucha, who has worked closely with Samson.
“Sanju faces a mix of technical and mental challenges. His bat speed on the downswing remains consistent across varying bowler speeds. This approach works well against bowlers in the 130 km/h range.
“However, any speed above or below 130 km/h, with variations in pace, poses difficulties. The answer lies in adjusting his bat speed on the downswing according to the pace of the ball. If he manages that, he should be fine,” Raman explained when asked about the nature of his challenges.
“Mentally, he is aware of the stiff competition for the wicketkeeper-batter spot in white-ball cricket. This is likely adding pressure, given that he possesses ample talent to navigate these challenges. He is more than capable of contributing to India,” Raman noted.
However, Raman doesn’t necessarily think his position in the middle order has disrupted his rhythm, as players of this era often emphasize flexibility.
“In T20Is, he is best suited for the top three, and he shouldn’t encounter problems there, as that is where he excels. Nowadays, players talk about adaptability and the ability to bat in various positions.
“There shouldn’t be significant issues unless he is pushed extremely down the order,” Raman remarked.
Samson is a player reliant on confidence. A few years back, he revealed in a podcast how he quietly left a stadium after being dismissed cheaply and went to sulk on Marine Drive.
For Bharucha, who has mentored numerous young Rajasthan Royals players, including Samson, Yashasvi Jaiswal, and Dhruv Jurel, the challenge primarily resides in mental aspects.
“There’s nothing fundamentally technical at play. It’s all psychological for him. He swings between brilliance and mediocrity due to a lack of clarity, which is something every player faces.
“All cricketers go through this; he’s no exception—Surya (Suryakumar Yadav), for example, recently experienced similar issues. It’s a matter of learning to manage it more effectively,” Bharucha, who has thoroughly researched batting techniques, expressed.
Ravichandran Ashwin recently illustrated how New Zealand targeted him with straighter lines, contrasting with England’s approach of bowling short and fast.
“In such scenarios, the key is to practice hitting a few more balls in areas you think might be weaker than your strengths. He has been scoring significantly more runs on the off-side than the on-side, deliberately,” Bharucha explained.
“This is typically what all batsmen do: make the bowler bowl an off-stump line while positioning themselves to score from there. This quickly forces the bowler to adjust and target the middle and leg, making it easier and less risky to score on the on-side from that position.
“Sometimes when you overly prepare to open up on the off-side, you can inadvertently be out of position for the leg-side. It just requires a bit more awareness because Samson already possesses the shots for the on-side.” When asked for solutions, Bharucha suggested: “Hit more balls in that area during practice. Ideally, have the throwdown expert alternate between the off-stump and leg-stump lines.”
