Is the Samson era coming to an end? (Source: @chinmayshah28/x.com)
The world believes in one saying: when life gives you opportunity, you need to grab it in both hands. But the real rule is using that chance to its absolute fullest, because such moments don’t come knocking often. Miss it once, and the door may not open again.
In cricket, thousands of cricketers wait for that single chance, as that one move decides their whole future. Grabbing that one chance sometimes took a long time as talents kept waiting on the sidelines, just as Sanju Samson waited once.
The world voiced together to give him a chance on the side, and after a long time, justice served him. But lately, the script has flipped, with Samson’s struggle in the shortest format becoming hard to ignore. Now the debate is raging: Does he deserve more chances, or is it time to make way for fresh faces?
Opportunity comes late, but Sanju makes it count
In cricket, the world waits to see a six until the batter gets the ball in his radar, and the law works the same for a youngster who hunts for opportunities. The game has seen many hustlers, but Sanju Samson’s phoenix-like rise stands apart. A star for Kerala who never shied away from intent, he waited patiently for years before finally donning the India blues.
Playing the clutch role for his team with amazing power-hitting skills has always been Sanju’s thing, and the hard work paid off in 2015 when he first donned India’s jersey in the T20I format. The beginning looked promising until uncertainty walked in.
Consistency took a back seat as the batter faced consecutive snubs. When an international setback troubled him, the Kerala star didn’t stop there; he kept hustling hard on the domestic circuit. During those questionable snubs, the world came together in his support, and the opportunity arrived when India needed him the most.
Accepting those chances with open arms, Samson turned heads with some classic knocks. From smashing a memorable ton on South African soil to emerging as India’s hope against Bangladesh with a sublime century, he ticked every box. And why just centuries, there are some underrated knocks where Sanju stood as a wall and showcased his brilliance.
All seems set until form begins to waver
The 50-over format remained away from him, but he cemented his place in the shortest format. Batting position changed, sometimes uncertainty loomed, but Sanju Samson stood tall with his unshakable spirit. But it says life is never a straight line, as each curve of the path teaches an unforgettable life lesson.
Just when Team India got a consistent batter in Samson, life again took a cruel turn. After some consistent chances, the snub drama came back again. In the T20 World Cup, he warmed the bench and missed a series of games once again.
When the chances finally came, the world expected a furious comeback, but the script took an unexpected turn. Given repeated opportunities, he failed to replicate the impact he once promised. With passing time, his struggle grabbed attention, raising concerns among fans.
Promise becomes concern as numbers can’t lie
| Criterion | Data |
| Innings | 13 |
| Runs | 238 |
| Average | 18.31 |
| Strike Rate | 127.27 |
(Sanju Samson's T20I record since 2025)
Since 2025, the bizarre dip in Sanju Samson’s form sparked attention. In the last 10 innings in T20Is, he scored only 204 runs with just one half-century. The five-match T20I series against Australia summed it up, where he got just one opportunity and departed for two runs.
In the last T20I series against South Africa, he warmed the bench. Coming back to the T20I setup in the ongoing series against New Zealand, Samson touched the rock button. After Shubman Gill was snubbed, he returned to the opening position, and the world hoped for something big from him.
Opening the match with Abhishek Sharma, the wicketkeeper-batter departed, scoring only 10 runs in the first game. In the second T20I, with India chasing a daunting target, Sanju was expected to stand tall but faltered once again. A scratchy six off five balls only extended his worrying run of form.
When the wicketkeeper-batter was facing snubs, the world shouted louder. When he was pushed down the order, voices demanded justice, but when he was promoted to the top, Samson’s most trusted weapon went eerily silent.
Time for the harsh reality – is it time to move on?
In life, opportunities are not limitless, and in sport, it’s always a hit-or-miss battle. Sanju’s resilience earned him chances, but sustained success failed to follow long enough to cement his place. In a country like India, sometimes a fierce talent burns out on the sidelines. Standing at that point, limitless opportunities are just a myth.
Recently, Team India’s ODI skipper Shubman Gill faced a snub from the T20I side due to a dry run, and the same thing can take place with Samson, too. If the question looms over Samson’s replacement, no one deserves the place better than Yashasvi Jaiswal.
The wicketkeeper-batter has been selected for the T20 World Cup 2026 squad. He will feature in the playing XI or not, that is still under the cover, but if he does, a massive responsibility will be on his shoulders.
But before that, three more T20Is are left in the ongoing series, and undoubtedly, Samson will have three move chances to make his mark. These matches are like three crucial balls in an over; one hit or miss could decide whether India moves on or continues to rely on Sanju’s grit.
