Watch: Sanju Samson throws away his wicket to Akeal Hosein, continues form slump

Sanju Samson yet again failed to impress as he fell early to left-arm spinner Akeal Hosein in the 2nd T20I.

In an intense clash between cricketing powerhouses, India took on the West Indies in the second T20I match in Guyana. The top-order batsmen showed promise as they pushed the score to 65-3 after 10 overs. Tilak Varma, displaying composure and timing, played some elegant strokes. He was finding gaps and picking up boundaries at opportune moments, giving India a steady foundation.

Joining him at the crease was the talented Sanju Samson, who was yet to settle in but showed glimpses of his attacking prowess, scoring 7 runs off 7 balls. However, as the 11th over began, Akeal Hosein produced a moment of brilliance, inducing an error from Samson, who was stumped. His dismissal put India in a slightly tricky position at 76-3.

Sanju Samson, known for his explosive batting, took to the crease with the hopes of silencing his critics. Unfortunately, his woes continued as he struggled to find his rhythm. The flamboyant batsman fell victim to Akeal Hosein’s crafty spin, stepping out and giving an easy stumping option to wicket-keeper Nicholas Pooran. Samson’s early departure has intensified the discussions surrounding his recent form and his World Cup selection.

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Samson’s last five innings reveal his struggle to convert starts into substantial scores. Against the West Indies on August 3, 2023, he managed only 12 runs off 12 balls, followed by a meager 5 runs against Sri Lanka on January 3, 2023. Even in the recent past, against the West Indies on August 7, 2022, he scored just 15 runs off 11 balls. While he showed some promise with a knock of 30 not out against the West Indies on August 6, 2022, his best performance in the last five innings came against Ireland, scoring 77 runs off 42 balls on June 28, 2022.

Responsibility on Indian Bowlers to get India across the line

As India set a target of 153 against the host West Indies, it will be on the shoulders of the Indian bowlers to get the team across the line and level the series. Arshdeep Singh and Yuzvendra Chahal have to give the team crucial breakthroughs in the early stages of the West Indies innings. An injured Kuldeep Yadav, who misses out on the game, is replaced by young Ravi Bishnoi.

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