3 major reasons behind Sanju Samson's continuous struggles in T20Is

Samson struggled to score runs in the T20I series against Ireland and the 1st T20I against England.

Sanju Samson is one of India‘s most experienced wicket-keeper-batters. He made his international debut in 2015 in a T20I game, and with his continuous hard work over the years, he has cemented his spot as a wicket-keeper batsman in the Indian Team.

In the initial years of his career, Samson struggled to fix his spot in the national team in both ODIs and T20Is. However, he continued to perform brilliantly in domestic cricket and the Indian Premier League (IPL), eventually making a comeback and becoming a key batsman for India in white-ball formats.

Notably, despite earning accolades for his performances on many occasions, the right-handed batsman has struggled with consistency. He hogged the limelight with his knocks in the T20 World Cup 2026 in March; however, he has flopped with the bat in recent T20Is.

For instance, he got out for single digits in the Ireland vs India T20Is last month. In the 1st T20I against England on July 1, he lost his wicket for just one run. On that note, let’s discuss the three reasons behind Sanju Samson‘s struggles in the shortest format in recent times.

Reasons behind Sanju Samson’s dismal performance in T20Is

3. Weakness against short-pitched deliveries

Opposition bowlers are consistently bowling short-pitched deliveries to Sanju and setting fields on the deep leg side. The Indian wicket-keeper has struggled to overpower them and lost his wicket while trying to hit big shots.

Therefore, a key reason behind Samson’s struggles in T20Is is his inability to handle short-pitched deliveries. Batting legends and commentators Sunil Gavaskar and Vivian Richards have also pointed out this issue.

2. Lack of timing and rushing

Samson always tries to dominate bowlers from the start and smash boundaries early in his innings. The veteran batter is known for his aggressive style in the shortest format. However, this approach cost him.

Although his aggressive style helps him score runs quickly right from the start, it leaves very little room for error. Often, he rushes while going for big shots and loses his wicket in the process. Therefore, another reason for his poor performance in recent matches is a lack of timing during batting.

1. Sanju’s stance while batting

Another reason for Samson’s struggles in T20Is is his batting stance. His front foot is positioned marginally open towards the bowler, which allows him to access both the off and leg side with minimal adjustment.

Samson stands tall with relaxed shoulders and a still head, which often helps him maintain excellent balance throughout his stroke play. However, unlike many modern batters, Samson doesn’t make any leg movements ahead of facing a delivery.

He prefers to stay relatively still and away from the wicket and react to the ball after the release. He often relies on his quick hands and hand-eye coordination and avoids leg movements, which can also be termed a crucial reason for his struggles.

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