Fact Check: Did Ajay Jadeja Criticise Sanju Samson’s Batting Approach After IND vs NZ T20Is?

Sanju Samson batting for India [Source: AFP]

Sanju Samson has endured another disappointing T20I series against New Zealand, struggling to find consistency with the bat despite starting the tour with a half-century in Christchurch. 

His latest outing in the fifth T20I saw him score just four runs, adding to an inconsistent run of performances in 2026. As per a recent finding, former Indian cricketer Ajay Jadeja has allegedly voiced his frustration on X, pointing towards a technical weakness in Samson's batting that opposition bowlers have seemingly started exploiting.

Did Ajay Jadeja label Sanju Samson frustrating to watch with the bat?

Samson's repeated struggles against New Zealand have raised questions about his batting approach, particularly his tendency to move across the crease while attempting to play attacking shots. Now, Ajay Jadeja's X account on social media believes that opposition bowlers have identified this pattern and are using it to their advantage. 

“It’s frustrating to watch Sanju Samson bat. He always moves towards the sixth-stump line, expecting the bowler to pitch it up so he can smash it over the covers But over the last three matches, New Zealand’s bowlers have figured him out and his technique has been exposed,” Ajay Jadeja's X account stated.

Ajay Jadeja

@AjayJadeja171

It's frustrating to watch Sanju Samson bat. He always moves towards the sixth-stump line, expecting the bowler to pitch it up so he can smash it over the covers 🤨 But over the last three matches, New Zealand's bowlers have figured him out and his technique has been exposed 😵

Nov 1, 2026, 12:51 PM

For the uninitiated, Ajay Jadeja does not have any official social media account on X. Despite the tweet and the Twitter handle from Ajay Jadeja's account having a blue tick and almost 37K followers, the profile is a parody account and does not voice the original thoughts of the actual person.

Anchor and presenter Nikhil Naz of India Today clarified the stance on his official X handle, declaring that there is no official social media account of Ajay Jadeja on X. Hence, the post about Sanju Samson does not authentically represent the cricketer's thoughts.

Nikhil Naz

@NikhilNaz

An entire story done on the basis of a fake account. For all and sundry: Ajay Jadeja is NOT on X.

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Sanju Samson’s frustrating 2026 with the bat in T20Is

Samson's T20I numbers in 2026 reflect a year of contrasting performances, with some explosive innings being followed by several disappointing outings. His struggles were particularly evident during India's five-match T20I series against New Zealand in January, where he managed just 46 runs across five innings at an average of 9.20. 

However, he enjoyed a remarkable turnaround during the February-March period, scoring 321 runs across five innings against Namibia, Zimbabwe, West Indies, England and New Zealand. His standout performances included an unbeaten 97 against West Indies, 89 against England and another 89 against New Zealand.

The inconsistency returned during India's subsequent assignments. Samson managed just five runs across two innings against Ireland and 28 runs in two innings against England in June and July. 

He then found some rhythm against Afghanistan, scoring 117 runs in three innings, including a half-century. After another quiet outing against Japan and single-digit scores against Sri Lanka and Pakistan, he produced 168 runs in five innings against West Indies in October, including an 82-run knock. 

Overall, Samson has accumulated 806 runs in 29 T20I innings in 2026 at an average of 28.79 and an impressive strike rate of 176.37.

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